Mermaid of chaos
by Nakokun
Summary: The first day, Randy awakes with a mermaid tail, without the Mask and with a blank Nomicon. Howard is nowhere to be found. And the Sorcerer wants, by any means (bloody or not), to catch the Ninja. Viceroy wants to try a new invention, and Randy wants to know what is going on. Howard just want to see his friend awake.
1. Worst day ever

The day was, by far, the worst of their lives.

.-.

Theresa tough the day Julian, in his Monster Kluu, revealed _that_, was the worst of her life. How innocent she has been. She should have stayed in her house when the bus moved in front of her, splashing mud from head to toe. She really, _really_ should have saved herself the detention for arriving late.

But she could not go to the school dripping mud and stinking, so she showered and dressed herself in the most adequate clothes she find. She forgot to put the washing machine last night, and since it was her responsibility, she only had a red and white spots shirt, a jean she did not wore for years, and winter tights.

It was that, or miss school.

She went to school.

What a big mistake.

.-.

The worst day ever, indeed, and all started with his grandmother storming in his room and throwing away "all the dark rags" his grandchild has. Like the lace sleeves, the ones he planned to use in very special occasions, the ones he inverted almost all his savings, or the violet leather skirt made in Europe. And she was staying for two months for health issues, and Julian was the one with the biggest room, and if the grandmother did not fit in here, then she could "dispose" all she found, throwing it away, for example.

Julian put his role playing game, with his twenty-sided dice, in his bag, and put the most important in his room inside. His grandmother was the kind of old lady who insist in awake the whole family to go to the church the Sundays. She took away his black candles, and instead of his Cthulhu figurine, there was a set of figurines, of unknown material, representing archangels.

But he was not going to the school dressed in white.

It was so sad all the white, fluorescent, or coloured clothes jumped off the windows to the mud puddle in the backyard. He was forced, now, to wear his pajamas, with spider web design. And not even God will take his hat away. The phrase scandalised his grandmother, at an unimaginable level, and she called a priest to exorcize his grandchild.

At the same time, she took a light green set of clothes, throwing it to his face, telling him he was going to the school, in underwear or with this.

Julian picked the lesser evil.

.-.

-And mom agrees with her, Cunningham. Can you believe it?

-Yes, Howard, I believe it.

-A diet! How could they not see the beauty of good masculine curves?

-Like the ones you did in the arcade, yes, I remember that- said Randy, a little more amused.

-I do not care! I defeated you in that videogame and I will defeat these two!

.-.

The day seemed to start with the right foot.

Randy awakes after a good dream, with the ninja defeated McFist in front of the whole city, and he was sent to jail. Viceroy travelled back to France, maybe in vacation, with Nicholas in a basket full of ribbons. Howard was here, filming all for Heidi´s show, who give his brother all his coupons for Charlie´s fried chicken as a prepayment. Something about press privileges.

His mother left early, so he made his favourite breakfast. He felt his batteries where full, and it was Wednesday, so this day, nor McFist nor the Sorcerer will ruin it. He could go to the Arcade, defeat Howard again…

The Nomicon was shining.

Randy, curious, looks around and put aside his breakfast remains. He opened the book with care.

-What is it, Nomicon?

The book pulls him to its insides, and Randy found himself in the middle of a bamboo forest, on a cushion floating in the water.

A phrase began to form in front of him.

"A ninja must see beyond what his eyes take in"

-Beyond?- asked Randy, confused –Like X-rays? Can I learn that?

The Nomicon send him back to his body.

His body, with one cheek covered in crumbs, drooling in the kitchen table.

.-.

-But Heidi is not going to take the flan away of me, oh no. Do you know how delicious it is?- protested Howard, entering the school

-If it is as much as you said, maybe I will eat yours- said Randy.

-Don't you dare, Cunningham!

.-.

The clothes resulted way, way more uncomfortable than she tough.

Theresa found the baton twirling team will not be a school group anymore, so she has to give her baton back. Baton she paid and, by law, was hers. She almost bite the principal, and in the end, she keeps her precious baton. She crossed paths with Julian in her way to next class, dressed with light green clothes.

-What happened to you?- the girl asked.

-My grandma wants to exorcize me, starting with my clothes- he pulled one of the short sleeves in the shirt he wore –It doesn't even have chains. At least, I saved the module- he looked Theresa –The principal again?

-Again. And I arrived late, so I have detention. And I arrived late because the bus splashed me with mud, so I went back to my house to take a shower. And now I really want to play your game.

Julian smiled.

-Everyone is welcomed.

.-.

-Vegan day? What are they thinking?- Howard, outraged, observed the cafeteria's menu –And there is not even a single dessert!

-Howard, it says there is fruit salad as a dessert- said Randy, reading the menu –And it says it´s the healthy day, or something.

Howard didn´t listened to him, and walked furious to the food trays, looking for something considered, to his eyes and mouth, as food. Outside, the rain began to fall, hard, and Randy looked to the window, surprised. Howard did not pay any attention to him. There was not rain announced for today. And it was not the only strange thing in the entire scene.

Shangri-lunch was here; empty, in the most desired spot.

Randy saw not even the cafeteria´s staff was present, and there were no signs of other students, despite being the rush hour in the cafeteria.

-Howard? I think there is something strange in…

Howard was not here.

The rain hit the windows with an incredible noise.

And the water began to rise, like a submarine diving in the sea.

.-.

This day was the worst of his life.

For first time, since the first day of school, his car was not destroyed for the Ninja.

A truck did.

A truck without brakes, since the driver forgot this basic precaution and the vehicle rolled downhill, to the beautiful car, just out of the car wash. And waxed. Did he never learn? No more wax, he said to himself, and he went to wax it again.

And the worst part was, he was floating.

.-.

In the first day, Randy woke up with a mermaid tail.

.-.

.-.

Only for the character design, the series deserved to be watched. And then I fell for it. And then I began a fanfic, but said fanfic exceeded the RC9GN universe, so I began to write an original story. But then I said to myself, "I can write a fanfic based in the story".

So here we go.

Nakokun


	2. The other side

Randy checked this was his room, checked the Nomicon at hand, under the pillow, when he always put it before going to sleep, he observed the light coming from the outside, entering through the window´s blind and, slowly, reached a hand to the lower part of his body.

Scales.

Everything under the waist has disappeared, and now he has a mermaid tail. Frenetic, he looked for zippers, buttons, stickers, needlework, holes, anything showing it was man-made, like a little girl´s swimsuit, the ones who wanted to be sea princess, but he didn´t find anything. It was a mermaid tail, without exits or entries.

Randy took the Nomicon.

And found hundreds of blank pages.

.-.

He made it to the floor without falling or tripping, "walking" down the ladder steps from his bed to the ground. Incidentally, he observed a water bottle he always left in his nightstand, and he had an idea. Grabbing the bottle, he opened it and poured the contents in the mermaid tail. Suddenly, the clumsy appendix he had to drag all the way down became usable and useful. It was even easy to move it now.

Swimming in the air like water, he exited his room.

.-.

Dash, for absolute lack of surprise, has sharp scales.

Bucky was swimming, frantic, trying to escape of an awkward, swimmer-in-the-air Bash.

-Maybe with some belts- said Julian to Theresa –Too big for the waist and too small for the hip.

-And the skirt and stockings?- asked the girl.

-You can try the skirt, but I think it is not very practical. I mean, what for? And the stockings, well, maybe a big one covering the tail, leaving the fin outside. But again, what for?

When Juggo joined the conversation, Randy said to himself it was time to enter school. Seeing the three of them floating at first-floor level, chatting like there was nothing strange going on was _too_ strange. Well, more than normal. Of all the normal tolerable things. Or average strange. Or…

-Howard?- asked Randy swimming in the air, in the corridors.

-No swimming at high speed in the corridors!- yelled, less than two feet from him, Slimovitz. The boy was startled, and noted the adult said this to Bash, who pawed the air to advance, in a very clumsy way –Bash, leave Bucky in peace.

-I´m not going to do anything to him!

-Yeah, sure, Bash- the principal took a detention note and put it in his forehead.

.-.

-Howard?- asked Randy, again, entering his first class.

-Who is him?- asked Juggo.

-Howard! You know, the one who is always with me- he explained.

-Ah, him! I haven´t seen him since yesterday- said Juggo.

-Attention pupils!- Mrs. Discroll entered the classroom, holding hands with her husband´s mermaid skeleton –Today we are going to have classes outside, so took anything you are interested from the classroom. And up!

Too much overjoy. Too much… _unconcern_.

.-.

-Cunning… ham?

Howard looked to the point his friend´s voice has come from, seconds ago, and saw no one. He looked down and found Randy, sleeping in the middle of the cafeteria.

-Cunningham? What´s wrong? Is the book calling you again?- he wanted to say it as always, but something was wrong. Putting aside the fact Randy did not look in trance, nor was he drooling, and he look like he was _asleep_. By force.

Howard looked up again and saw Randy was not the only one: everyone in the cafeteria was asleep. Julian, Theresa, Juggo and Dave were in their table, with their most hated person´s dolls scattered in the floor, the dice in the middle of them, and a milk carton spilling it´s content to the floor. Bash and his gang were piled in the middle of the corridor, and even the cooker was in the floor, behind the counter.

-Cunningham, this is not… funny- he really wanted to think this was some kind of joke, but he know it was not.

And hearing the roboapes coming from the corridor did not help to calm him down.

.-.

He could not find his mask.

If the Nomicon thing was bad, this was terrifying. Randy looked up and down the school, saying to everyone asking him he was in a treasure hunt, but he could not find it. Or Howard. He feared someone get stanked, because he know he will be _crushed_ without the mask.

And then, Randy heard the first roar.

.-.

-Half Norrisville high students had been _induced_- said Viceroy in his cell phone –You may see some familiar faces here, sir.

-It´s the same if they are two, half or all of them! Do what I said!- even from his hiding spot, in the broom closet, Howard heard McFist yelling.

-Something special for Bash?

-No, it´s better if he sleeps. He is the only one who doesn´t have something to do with the Ninja, I´m sure. And he will not cause any trouble if he is asleep!

-As you say, sir- said the scientist, before hang up the phone and check how his little mantis was doing.

Howard, through the keyhole, observed how little robomantis, similar to the giant one of the monster drill, stand in the head of every sleeping one. Then, it´s little eyes began to shine, and the person in question, slowly, began to smile. Even if said person was in a milk puddle, like Dave. Or with her face in the floor, like the cooker.

-One hour to finish- said Viceroy to a roboape passing by, with a box in its hands, mantis leaving the box every time they saw someone sleeping –Fear not, all of them are sleeping, even whoever the Ninja is.

.-.

After the noise outside became near silence, and after checking seven or eight times there was no one in sight, Howard run to his friend´s side, and began to shake him.

-Cunningham! Wake up! Viceroy has plans, what means McFist has plans, and you fall asleep?

Randy keep sleeping, not smiling but starting to.

Howard tried everything he could think of. Rip the wonk mechanical bug result in his hand being bitten, ant the same happened to the oven gloves and the pliers he used. Pour water over his friend face was not effective. Sitting him so he could let him fall did not help, and he was thinking seriously in covering Randy´s mouth and nose when he heard robotics steps approaching.

-And check if they have something suspicious- Viceroy said, and Howard listened.

Howard panicked.

He reached into Randy´s pockets, touched the mask, pulled it off, and put it in one of his pockets. He ran to the girl´s bathroom, went in the last stall and sit in the toilet, cross-legged. No one will find him there, or so he hoped.

When Howard tough he could not be more frenetic, he heard a roboape.

-Sir, we found the mask.

Howard, pale as never in his life, reached into his pocket and found a hole he did not know was there to this moment.

-Good- said Viceroy –I was hoping to test my new destructor ray.

Frozen and terrified, barely daring to breath, Howard heard a strange, fast and horrible noise.

-Well, this mask does not resist much- said Viceroy, a little disappointed.

When Howard gathered his courage to peek at the scene, all the remains of the Ninja´s mask were a bunch of burnt rags and a pile of ashes.

.-.

.-.

So "let´s see if you are fit to being the hero", but not in the way Howard expected.

From this point, the chapters will be longer. And the story will enter in the part I wanted to write since day one. Beware!

Nakokun


	3. Captive mermen

Howard looked down.

He felt a weight more alive than his own in his hand, and he was not surprised to see he was clutching the Ninjanomicon. With a blank mind, he observed the green and red glow coming from the book, and he asked himself if he could find a spare Ninja inside. Sitting in the toilet seat cover, he put the book on his legs and part a cover for the other.

The pages were yellowish, and rusted when turned.

Little by little, the pages became more and more Japanese, with drawings and kanjis and coloured doodles. Howard, in a daydream-like state, turned the pages until he found the Ninja´s mask story. How it was made, and the rest of the suit. With the words and the images reflecting in his eyes, Howard started to _think_ again. Like the first time you write in a new notebook, full of unused and blank pages.

-I do not understand- said, after reading the book´s cryptical phrases.

"You are the one in greatest danger now" wrote the Ninjanomicon "Clear your mind, think, and then, act."

After and eternity, he closed the book. He sat there, thinking, like he never though before, like the first chalk of the pack, writing in a blackboard never used before. Or like he were in a floor upstairs he never tough he´ll see, or even existed.

And then Howard understood the book opened _to him_.

.-.

The first roboapes wave destroyed everything in the parking, starting with the principal´s car. A car with foots pedals, no fins ones. The second wave started destroying the walls, breaking windows and crashing all the chairs and tables. The third wave was the one with robolizards: they captured the students, swimming in panic. Then, the robolizards tied the terrified students at the waist to the flags poles, the lamp posts, or the trees surrounding the school.

Randy was one of the last being captured.

Like Bash, because he punched and kicked every robot coming too close to him, destroying one, until five roboapes tackled him and tied him up.

Randy hid in everyplace he could think of, going from one to another, unseen. He almost though he could make an escape, and then, two invisible robolizards caught him in the ventilation ducts, and dragged him outside.

-Well, child- said a voice in the air, silencing all the mermaid´s and mermen´s cries and whimpering at once –Now, we can start.

A puff of green smoke appeared in the school rooftop.

It was the Sorcerer.

And Howard was nowhere to be found.

.-.

The roboapes were still patrolling the corridors, bored. Howard was so grateful they did not pay any attention, even the minimal, to the boy sliding, slooooowly, as silent as possible, toward his objective. S. Ward Smith´s metal shop had been ransacked, but the roboapes did not discover the _real one_.

Howard pulled the handle, after checking five times there was no roboapes around. When he saw all the broken swords, he felt self-conscious. Randy was not here, neither Smith. And he left the Ninjanomicon hidden in the girl´s bathroom (no one will look for it here, since the Ninja was male).

The two sai they left, the day they used the sacred fire for roasting marshmallows, were still there, in a shelf. They were the only non-broken weapons. Howard reached for them, slowly, hearing everything and imagining there was a roboape behind him, ignoring the room´s heat ant the weapon cemetery surrounding him.

He took a Sai.

It was lighter the last time, and now it looked sharper. He folds the weapon in a cloth lying in the workshop, and then he folded it again, and again, until the sharps ends were covered. Then, he grabbed the handle, hiding the folded weapon under his clothes, and walked to his destiny.

.-.

-Not you- the Sorcerer said, taking Theresa by the arm and tossing her to the ground. A roboape grabbed her, and took the scared girl to the woods surrounding the school –You, maybe- he separated Stevens from the flagpole he was tied, and one roboape took him to another flagpole. The one the Sorcerer created, expelling stank energy –You, you, and you, out- said, taking Juggo, Bucky and Brent –You, stay- said, looking at Morgan.

One by one, he put the students in two groups. Those who had been stanked ended being discarded, and only the ones who did not feel the Sorcerer power in their own flesh left, tied to the greenish flagpole.

-And you… - the Sorcerer made a pause, looking at Julian –You cannot stay.

-Why not?- with no common sense, the boy looked very interested in the situation. Despite the Sorcerer was very, very tall now (almost like the highest point in school) and the fact his hand surrounded the teenager´s body.

-I do not need rivals.

Julian smiled brightly.

-Do you really think I could be your rival in evil?

-I will not give you the opportunity- the Sorcerer said, and tossed Julian to a roboape –I will never give you the power you need for that.

Randy, meanwhile, was looking for an escape route.

The ribbon keeping him tied to the pole did not yield: it seemed not physical when he tried to touch it, despite keeping him tied. His mental processes were there, but his surroundings seem way simpler than before. Randy could not see beyond the street, and the stank surrounded all the school building and part of the woods. There was nothing more beyond these points: there was neither sound nor images of the outside world.

-You, out- the Sorcerer said, taking Bash and his gang, binding them like a ball, and tossing them to a roboapes group. They took them to the woods, and come back later, without the humans.

There were few mermaids and mermens before Randy now.

-You stay, you not, you stay, you stay…

Randy hid behind a fat boys group, but the Sorcerer pulled his ribbon and grabbed him. His giant and skeletal hand was green, and he looked at him, very close, carefully.

Randy stayed very still.

If he was fast enough, he could punch him in the face, took one of the broken chains hanging of the Sorcerer´s shackles, toss links to a roboape, took said roboape´s weapon, shoot the flagpole (he hoped they did not resist), free all the remain students, go for the Ninjanomicon, then he could use his mask and…

He tried to move, but he was paralyzed.

Not scared stiff, or by the Sorcerer´s presence, but the contact with the greenish skin numbed his body, but not in a visible way.

-You stay- the Sorcerer said, looking him from head to fin, not fully convinced.

.-.

Howard hid again, his heart hammering in his chest.

In one of these occasions, he saw what was going on outside the school building, and it took his breath away.

Outside the bubble was nothing.

A giant bubble surrounded the school ground and part of the woods. Howard could see nothing outside, like a bubble floating in deep space. When he watched it carefully, Howard noted the bubble waved, as if made of water, or surrounded by water.

And the school building was not the more surrounded thing now, but an enormous tent in front, with armed roboapes. Viceroy exited the tent, looking papers in a folder, and writing something. Two roboapes pulled the tent entrance, and Howard saw, for a few seconds, something similar to bunk beds. But the ones inside the tent had space for five or more people. He recognised some of his classmates, and noted the vast majority of the beds were empty.

A roboape walked by, making noise, not noting him by chance.

Howard sneaked away at the first opportunity.

.-.

-Good- the Sorcerer said, rubbing his hands –Now, _Ninja_, let´s play.

He looked at the students, and took the one who called his attention: one of the popular ones, an Asian-looking girl, of the Fish Cage´s group. The long haired girl cried out when he lifted her, and she started to tremble, paralyzed already by the Sorcerer´s contact.

-Insipid- said the magical being, and he tossed her.

The girl was now fully human, with legs instead of fin, and she fell like people fell in real life. She screamed, but he did not touch the ground: she vanished when the Sorcerer´s momentum was not enough to defy gravity, like smoke in the wind. And the same happened to all the girls remaining. One by one, the Sorcerer discarded them all, until only the male students remained.

-The Ninja is not a female- the Sorcerer said, to something similar to a cell phone.

Randy though this scene was _normal_, in a very _abnormal_ situation. Seeing an ancient being using a last generation cell phone seemed like the only real thing in the strange world all of them were.

The Sorcerer looked the reduced group, with only one hundred students now, all of them males, rubbing his hands and smiling.

-I´m going to _break_ you, Ninja. And it´s going to be very pleasurable _for me_- he said, dripping evil.

.-.

The fish mosaic was still here.

Months ago, both Randy and he did a mess in the same room, the fatidic photobombing day. Just remembering what happened that day made him shudder.

But not today.

After all, this day has been way more dangerous (and it was not over), and he was left with no shudders for the day.

Howard researched all he could about Tengus. He even translated some Japanese books (using an online translator, but still) never translated to English. He knew the demon-bird was similar to fairies beings, in the sense they could not be classified as good or bad ones. It depended of how they woke up that day. And, if you follow some rules, it could be possible to reach Howard´s goal. And he wished, with cold despair, to have success this time.

The roboapes were regrouping in another place, but he knew he could not turn back now, even is all the roboapes tried to stop him.

He took the sai, unwrapped, grabbing it for the handle, and tapped the stone in the fish´s eye.

-Tengu- Howard said.

An eye appeared in the stone, a red and a very, _very_ familiar one. It narrowed when recognized the boy. If the bird could emit sounds or not, Howard did not know.

-I have a contract to offer.

.-.

.-.

I confess I sent then per cent of all the (published) RC9GN tumblr´s confessions and headcannons. And I´m not sorry.

See you.

Nakokun


	4. Wake up or die

-It´s a pity some parts of my body, the ones without bones, suffered _so much_- the Sorcerer said, looking at some students –We could have a very fun and _pleasurable_ moments, at least for me.

He took one of the boys, paralyzing him immediately. Then he put him, now with legs, in a circular space, in the same place the school was. It was almost as big as the building, and it was surrounded with riveted metal cubes: there was not an inch free in the metal ring, Randy noted.

The boy stayed paralyzed inside the circle.

It didn´t happened with all of them: some moved, and other had reduced mobility, as if some parts of their bodies were asleep, or extremely tired. Stevens could move without problems, the maraca boy could not stand (his legs did not obey him), and one of the book club´s member could not move his arm.

When Randy´s turn came, the Sorcerer stared at him for one second before reach for another student with his free hand. He squeezed Randy´s body and left him in the circle, apparently without paralyzing any part of his body. Soon, all the students were handed in the desired place.

-The games are over, Ninja- the Sorcerer said, rubbing his hands –There are no more mermaid tails, so the dream is over. Whosoever dying now will do it _for real_.

A thud came from one of the metal cubes, and one hundred pair of eyes looked at it. Something inside had punched the surface closer to them, and bent it. From another cubes, the students could hear chainsaws running, and various blows, with different intensity.

The ones who could move flinched.

The dents became more and more evident, in all the cubes, until it stopped at once. The boys resisted the urge to sigh in relief, holding their breath. Breath they lost screaming the moment they saw the cubes opening, like a flipped gift box, showing hundreds of robots moving towards them.

-Let the carnage begin.

.-.

Viceroy began to arrange the rejected students outside the tent. When one was discarded, another roboape entered the tent, to make sure the ones left could not escape. After all, they know the Ninja was a Norrisville student. A male one, indeed, but the Sorcerer wanted to be sure, and McFist did not have any intentions to take risks at this point.

However, he was not going to awake the girls yet, or the boys, who did not fit the requirements. The roboapes arranged them in a matrix, following the scientist´s orders, and he walked from row to row, crossing out names. The mantis will remain there for a few hours, and then they could proceed to the second stage.

Stage planned between him and the Sorcerer.

Smiling, Viceroy though how wonderful will be once they unmasked the Ninja. With his knowledge and the Sorcerer´s skills, they could erase the boy´s existence from all the Norrisville´s minds, including his family´s. In that way, no one will remember him, and no one will look for the Ninja in his laboratory, when he could interrogate him and obtain all his secrets. It was a pity there was not an eight centuries being behind the mask (he was sure of this), but the mask itself was a very interesting object.

Ant then, they could obtain an enormous potential, bigger than anything the humanity had discovered. Oh, the Nobel award will be a good and delicious step, indeed, but this would be a very small thing in comparison with everything they could achieve, with his genius and McFist influence. Without counting the superpower his boss will acquire, which could be used in Viceroy´s profit…

The first air wave knocked him down, between two female students.

The second wave ripped the tent´s fabric, knocking some roboapes in the way, and making some of them explode.

The third one was less confusing: Viceroy could see a giant black bird, with a mask covering it´s "face", shrieking until Viceroy´s lenses cracked, and flapping it´s wings until all the bulk beds inside the now ripped tent fell like dominoes.

.-.

Randy dragged one of the paralyzed boys to the centre, and took one of the band hats scattered in the ground. Whispering, he passed the idea they could fight back, from one boy to another, tossing thing to the robots, from shoes to hats, and everything they could use to hit or confuse. A few chainsaw werewolves began cutting each other, thanks to Randy, who used his hoodie, the wind and the robot´s speed, making said robots blind for crucial seconds, causing a pileup.

He was not the first throwing something, but was the most successful, and soon hats, shoes, belts, clothes and everything they have in their pockets flew toward the robots. One has marbles, and left a roboape´s pile in its way. However, despite the reduction in the robot´s numbers, they were still a lot, and the werewolves were very pissed being confronted by a bunch of teenagers.

-If the Ninja reveals himself, the rest could go back home- said the Sorcerer, dripping evil and malice –And I will just have a nice chat with him…

Suddenly, a scream called Randy´s attention, and he saw in horror how a werewolf has a boy his age pinned down under its paw, crushing him, about to hit him with the chainsaw. Without thinking, he run towards them, ready to kick the robot away if necessary, when all changed.

The boy disappeared.

The werewolf lost its balance, crushing air and not a scared boy, and in its fall he cut a roboape.

Then, the wave continued when the students disappeared, one after another, and Randy could see a dozen or more of boys disappearing before his turn came.

.-.

-It´s the demon bird!- was the first thing he heard when he finally awake.

He slapped the robo-mantis off his forehead, and looked around, understanding in a second the scene he was on. In the middle of a bunk bed with five spaces, with no room to move, and inside the remains of what looked like a giant tent, with all the Norrisville´s boys and girls running around. There were roboapes, functional or in pieces, and a wind wave was flying very close to him, taking robots with its claws, flying higher and dropping them in anyplace hard enough.

Randy ran with the crowd to get away of all the mess, but he found an invisible barrier a few foots later. He looked up, and saw something out of the corner of his eye: Viceroy, flying away to the woods surrounding school. Seconds later, the barrier disappeared, and the terrified students dispersed as fast as they could.

Randy take advantage of the turmoil and he sneaked away, looking for his mask in all the hidden spots he usually used. He checked tree times before turn pale, when he understood he _did not have the mask_. And the Tengu, the bird-demon, was out there, flying over the school building, looking for something. Apparently, he did not found it; he stood in the school rooftop, shrieked out loud and flown to the woods.

.-.

The Sorcerer was not furious.

It was a very soft word.

For the first time in a long time, he almost succeeded in one of his plans, one of the few he collaborated with mortals. And it had worked very, _very_ well. The sum of all the bad feeling of the students gave him an incredible amount of stank power, ant that scientist, Viceroy, had a very useful inventions. These two elements combined, plus McFist´s yells, had a good start. When he has informed the Ninja mask was destroyed, he savoured it like gravy fries.

But he had failed.

At some point, the damn Ninja ruined his plan. He has managed to check three quarters of the students, discarding those who had no chance of being the Ninja. And the way the students defend themselves was the evidence: he was among them. Damn him.

Or he escaped the plan? Sometimes, beings in contact with diverse kinds of magic were not affected by his powers, at least, not in a direct and immediate way. Who else could release the Tengu and ruin his marvellous plans, but the Ninja?

.-.

Randy looked for the Nomicon in the boys restroom, and then, in the girls restroom. He found it in the last stall, in a place he never used before, nor did he remember hiding it there, but the questions could wait. He tucked the book in his backpack and ran to the forest. The (adult) staff was too busy to stop him: hundreds of parents were calling and asking for explanations.

Following the Nomicon´s directions, he found a clearing in the woods, a recent one. In the centre was something looking like a giant nest, made with logs and tree branches. And in its centre, cutting branches and finishing the nest, was the Tengu. Randy stopped at a safe distance, and only approached when the Nomicon said he should.

The Tengu turned to look at him.

-Hi- said Randy, tense, raising a hand. With the other he clutched his backpack straps, with the Nomicon inside.

The demon bird looked at him, ant it was like he was deflating. Not just calming down, but shrinking. He hopped off the nest, flapping to the ground, and he stood a few foots away from Randy. Deflating. Changing his standing, straightened up, gaining colour, replacing some of the feathers with hair.

Randy did not expect this.

-Howard?

.-.

.-.

I will not.

I will not.

The nest is not for that.

I will not.

Nakokun


	5. Fabric and feathers

-Voceroy destroyed the Mask.

Howard said it fast, and Randy noted the anxiety and the fear mixed with the pressure of _get something off his chest_. So he did not change the subject.

-How? Wait, where did he find it?

-When these bugs… oh, no, I have to start from the beginning- he took a deep breath and told him about the sleep-inducing robo-mantis, and how Viceroy ordered the roboapes to check the students for "something weird".

-Something weird- Randy repeated.

-And you were asleep ant I didn´t and the rest of the people did not wake up so I took the mask and put it in my pocked- another breath –And when I hide, Viceroy found the mask because my pocket had a hole in it, and for that hole it fell, and suddenly I had the… the Nomicon in my hands and…

-The Nomicon told you to do this?- asked the teenager, incredulous.

-No, the book said me I was the one in the biggest danger, and told me to think and then act, and he showed me how the suit was made, and… The two sai we used to roast marshmallows in the sacred fire pit were still there.

Howard paused, more nervous than before.

-And then I took one and went to the Tengu´s stone, and you know, I studied about them because being possessed was not… well, I looked for everything I could about them, and there was something about… about contracts, and I remembered what felt like being possessed, and… And I offered him a contract and then he went for the roboapes and woke everyone and here we are.

Silence.

-Howard, you are the cheese.

Howard looked at him, confused.

-Do you know what the Sorcerer wanted to do to us? He was going to kill us in the dream. _If you hadn't woken us_ up, the greater part of us, if not all, would have died. I do not know how they did it, but thanks to you we are all alive. Thanks to you _I_ am alive. You are so… bruce, bro.

The redhead shoulders lost its tension.

-I think you saved more persons today than me in all my Ninja history. And that´s not an easy task.

-Ha, yes, I´ve won, Ninja!

.-.

-The. Damn. Tengu- the Sorcerer said.

-It was not my fault, sir. We did not know there was one of them in Norrisville high- stuttered McFist, hidden behind his desk

-I did know- said the other –I never considered he wold choose to interfere in our plans.

-Do you have information about the… Tengu?- Viceroy asked, peeking from behind the desk.

-Oh, yes, I know what this vermin is- the Sorcerer smiled wickedly, still chewing his rage –And I know what he wants.

He paused and took one of his spheres, showing it to McFist and Viceroy, at his eye-level.

-It´s a demon bird with a score to settle with the Ninja- in the sphere, two silhouettes appeared, one was similar to a ninja with a sword, and the other looked like a Tengu, and the two started a fight –Tengu feathers were indispensable to create the Ninja´s mask and suit. And the bird did not like it when they took his feathers.

-Could he be a potential ally, then?- the scientist was a little more encouraged now.

-If the vermin hates him as much as I do for his imprisonment, yes- he paused –And he will probably show himself, soon.

-I beg your pardon- Viceroy started, and the Sorcerer looked at him, making him stutter –Do you know if… it there are other begins likes the Tengu in Norrisville?

The Sorcerer smiled.

.-.

-So… you do not know how to make a new mask?

-Las time, I tossed it to the bonfire- Randy said –but then I have it before destroying it.

-Then, ask this book- the Nomicon glowed in red –Do not answer me back, booklet!- yelled, with a voice like a caw –If you want my feathers, sweat for it.

Randy looked at his friend until the (red) eyes went brown again. And his mouth became more like a mouth than a beak, like wanting to being a beak and remembering it was supposed to be a human mouth.

-Howard- said Randy –What kind of contract did you offer him?

-Er… Cunningham... – the redhead keep an awkward silence for a moment –I asked him what he wanted the most, and he said he wanted to be alive again. And I offered… em… I offered to him to live a little with me and if… if he gave the Ninja enough feathers to "redo" the complete suit, em… Oh, wonk!

-Men, you are hardcore.

-It´s not that! I don´t want to owe the Ninja nothing!

-But I am the Ninja.

-No, you are my best friend. The Ninja is another person. And if the Ninja do nothing, McFist and the Sorcerer will repeat what they did today, or worst. And the Sorcerer does not deserve the power he has!- the red eyes flashed again in Howard´s.

-Calm down, em… We are safe thanks to… the one I´m talking to.

-Ju, ju, ju… What would have happened if I had not intervened, Ninja?

-Probably, many people have died.

Tengu-Howard, with a beak replacing his mouth and red eyes, caw his laugh.

-So, "Friendship ins a weight the Ninja cannot carry", Nomi-chan? Indeed, it would have been a _very_ good advice to follow.

The book glowed in red, furious.

-Oh, shut up. I have a body and you are still inside there. And I earned it.

-Can you understand what he is… um, saying?- Randy asked.

Tengu-Howard looked at him, and smiled slowly. It was something strange seeing someone with a beak smiling.

-Oh, yes. Different races, same vital energy, used in different ways- he looked Randy form head to toe and snorted –Not bad, at least, not after seeing what you can do.

-Em, thanks?

-Do not thank me now, or to me, Ninja. I wanted to feel the wind under my wings for centuries.

The beak becomes a mouth, the eyes went to the natural colour, and Howard returned. He grabbed his (human) head, and Randy put a supportive hand in his shoulder. The two sat down in the floor.

-Men, it´s like a roller-coaster, up and down- the redhead said, exhausted.

Leaning against the giant nest, catching his breath and sweating, Howard closed his eyes, with his head in his hands and the elbows in his knees.

-But the flying was the brucest thing I did in my life- he admitted, with a tired smile.

-Howard, I´m here to help you in anything I could- the Ninjanomicon glowed –And the Nomicon too. Yes, the book too. Yes, Nomicon, It seems I´m not the only one who can be a little better in some aspects- said, grinning.

In the air, the doodles showed a defeated ninja.

-How… how can we have something more or least stable?- the redhead asked –I mean, sometimes he retires and observes, sometimes he reacts by impulse, and sometimes it seems like he pushes me to take control of my body.

Around the teenager, more doodles showed unbalanced scales, and a ninja meditating in one plate. A Tengu appeared, sitting in the other plate, and the scales became balanced.

-We´ll help, Howard, to both of you.

.-.

That night ended in Randy´s house, talking all night about how to proceed from this point. The Tengu and the Nomicon take part sometimes. The demon-bird was curious for everything he saw, and asked about everything he perceived with his five senses. Howard was there, watching, and telling him everything he knows.

-Do you have a name?- Randy asked him, when the Tengu was up in his bed and began to lie around, testing the mattress.

-We don´t use that- the bird-demon answered –We don´t referred from Tengu to Tengu whit names.

-Then, how do you know who are we talking about, if we talk about another Tengu?

-We do not like to change places- the red eyes were looking at him –How is this thing called?

-It´s a bed. It has a mattress, the soft part, and the bed sheets are to cover you. The soft thing you can move around without problem is called pillow, and you rest your head there.

-You have very strange habits- the Tengu hopped down to the floor, landing three foots away from the boy. He straightens himself and looked in his blue eyes –I do not have what humans call "name". He is "Howard Weinerman" and you are "Randy Cunnigham", your names and surnames. I was the forest Tengu, and that´s how they called me.

-Oh. So, do you preferred to be called just Tengu?

-Unless there is another one of my kind here, yes- he looked the food tray –This is really food?- he pointed to a bag with chips.

-Yes. Take one and see if you like it. It´s very crunchy, so you are not going to have any troubles whit your beak.

The Nomicon, suspicious, glowed in Randy´s lap.

-I said I will do it, booklet, and I keep my promises- he looked at Randy –And you will help whit it.

-How are we going to do it?

-Eight hundred years is a lot of time without preening- the Tengu narrowed his eyes, with coquetry, keeping his eyes in the other boy –And my feathers need to be renewed from time to time. That first fly was not as good as I wanted it to be, ant the size I was used to use is not so adequate anymore. So you can start with this.

.-.

Randy discarded the comb without thinking. It was useless with feathers. So he began to comb the Tengu´s feathers with his hands and fingers, plucking very carefully the sprained feathers, the loose ones, or the ones who fell when he touched them. The demon-bird did not object, and relaxed little by little under the boy´s hands.

Howard said the Tengu to remove clothing in his upper half of his body before transform, since the wings could rip them, or suffer in the process. Unlike the complete transformation, when wings and arms where the same thing, now he has a pair of wings coming out his shoulder blades and his arms were free. He has his head, back, chest and arms covered by feathers, and soon the floor was covered in feathers as well. The Tengu had not lied: he really was in need of preening.

Randy did not dislike it as much as he though.

-Your feathers are very silky- he said, using his hand to comb the feathers in one wing.

-And they are way more than silky feathers- he puffed up, moving his feathers like a fighting cock.

-Indeed- Randy took one feather near the end of a wing, pressed his hands against the back and wings, to make sure he did not forget anything there, and began to stack carefully the feathers in the floor.

-Do you know how to create a new mask?- the Tengu turned, a little lazy.

-Not yet. The Ninjanomicon does.

-And what more do you need, huh?- he looked at the book with sarcasm –My feathers are indispensable, but you have to put them together with something, Nomi-chan.

The doodles surrounding the feathers pile showed how to treat them. Randy took a clean bed sheet and put it in the carpet, extending it, and then he put the feathers in rows there. Then, he covered with another clean bed sheet, and repeated the process. They were way more of what he though it will: almost five hundred. Following the Nomicon instructions, he used one of the high level spells and let them rest.

-What more do we need?- he asked then.

-Magic and other things- the Tengu said, closing his wings and dressing himself fully again. The sound of feathers against fabric was something strange, like leafs moving in the wind –Like spider web silk.

.-.

-Yes, mom, we will- silence –Let´s say it´s an experiment- silence –No, we will not do something weird. Yes, we will clean the warehouse to see if we could do it. No, no tricks. Do not listen to Heidi! Or ask her if she wants to do it. No? Well then, there we go- silence –It´s closed until Monday for repairs.

-Did you convince her?- asked Randy, when Howard hung the phone.

-She told me for years I have to clean the warehouse, and now I told her we will do it. I think she will be convinced once she saw it clean.

-Are you sure there will be enough spider web?

-It was in a huge need to be cleaned when mom and dad first went to the house. Twenty two years ago, Cunningham.

-Oh, well, let´s do it.

.-.

-And this veil?- the blue-eyed boy asked, after opening the dusty door, when he could see the insides of the warehouse.

-It´s not a veil- Howard said, walking inside with a bucket full of cleaning items –It´s a spider colony.

-Julian will love this- Randy said, taking a cylindrical duster.

-But he will not see it, and you need spider web. And I want to know if there are bruce things- he took a box, like a shoe-box, near the door –There is a light switch six foots in that way, behind the spider web curtain. Oh, is this an eight bits cartridge?

.-.

Six hour later, Randy was covered in dust, tired, sweaty and had a bucket full with spider web. Howard had a pile of things he had found between –and inside- boxes, it was almost as dusty as Randy, and he had put boxes in a side and papers in the other.

-Well, this is it, Cunningham- the redhead said, looking everywhere –Now it really looks like something you can walk into.

-Good- Randy said, looking the bucket –I did not believe it, but it was enough spider web there.

-Still waiting for an apology.

-I´m sorry for not believing in you, Howard. It was enough spider web, industrial amounts of it.

-Apology accepted.

.-.

-Why no one is in school?- the Sorcerer yelled –How can be so much days without despair? Ah, what did you say, rat? Closed for repairs? Hmmmmmm…

He sit down in his seat, in the middle of the maze made with pipes and green mist, rubbing his chin. He looked at the rat, which was looking at him, and then he sent some of his green mist to look for something. Tengu´s feathers in particular, o Ninja activity in general.

-I hope these mortal really did destroy the mask …

The rat went to search the remains too, in everyplace humans walk by during their day. The green stank mist went through classrooms, bathrooms, corridors, offices, looking for something with magic remains and with Tengu´s feathers. The chocolate-coloured man said there was only a pile of cinders left, but that was better than nothing.

The rat comes back with a little bit of something in its mouth.

The Sorcerer took the little piece, and put it in front of his face.

And he smiled.

.-.

-Smith will not care- Howard said –Without Ninja, there will be no one in need to have his weapons repaired.

-Well, you are right in this one- Randy said, walking in the middle of the Friday night to the still not repaired school –And I do not know if all and every weapon will come back as before. Or the elemental powers.

-Nah, they will be there for sure- they left the yellow ribbons behind –It happened the first time.

The walked carefully for the closed corridors, and passed by the classrooms without one or more walls. It was not a surprise to see the sacred fire pit was still hidden, with all its walls, floor and roof, in a piece. And the sacred fire pit was still here, warming the room like the first time Randy walked in.

-Good- said the teenager when arriving –Now, Nomicon, we have the feathers and the spider web, and the sacred fire pit is here- he looked at the doodles in the air, and began to read, step by step, the instructions.

-Eh, do not left me hanging, booklet- Tengu-Howard said, with red eyes, taking off his shirt –If we are going to do this, we will do it right. And do not start with that! You cannot have all the time it took you to create it. We will do it right, so I will have to lend you a claw, hehe, or wing in this.

-How?- Randy asked, curious.

-Ah, human, how little has the Nomicon said to you- the demon-bird smiled –The first time, they took my feathers by force. Wrong, bad. They could took the skills I have, but only the ones I could not hide- he put his hand in his chest, moving it in circles while he spoke. His arm was covered in feathers to his wrist, noted the other boy, and some sparks appeared between the chubby fingers –So you can start whit that, but before use every feather, give it to me. I know better than no one how to use magic plumage.

.-.

-The best breeding ground- the Sorcerer said, putting the little mask bit in one of his green smoke spheres –is the desire. And I´m not talking about what I wanted to do to the Ninja if my body were not so modified, oh, no, little rat.

The rodent squealed, looking at him.

-Is the desire born thanks to someone´s shine- he held the sphere with both hands, seeing how the little piece of magic fabric was soaked with stank mist, swelled and shifts its shape –The kind of thing you feel when someone has something you want, and you can´t have it, no matter how much you try, or how much you work for it.

In the green sphere, the bit began to morph in a bigger shape.

-And is there a better breeding ground than this?- the Sorcerer said, picking up the black and green mask, reeking evil.

.-.

-This is the last one.

Randy gave the last feather to Tengu-Howard, who held it for a few seconds between his palms before put it above the Nomicon pages. The feather disappeared.

-And now, the spider web… - the blue-eyed boy put the bucket above the book, turn it over, and it vanished –Good. Now, Nomicon, I trust you- he turned to look at Howard –And I want to tell you…

Howard staggered.

Even in a sitting position with his legs crossed, his balance seemed too hard to maintain. The Tengu has retired, and then Randy could see his friend´s body was covered in sweat, at a level the sacred fire pit was unable to reach. He breathed hard, seemed not capable to keep his eyes open, and if Randy had not caught him, the redhead could have fall backwards.

-Howard?

But Howard did not answer.

.-.

.-.

After a long time, a long chapter for your enjoyment.

Nakokun


	6. Tea steam

Randy checked Howard was still breathing, and then, he checked his pulse. He seemed stable and very, very exhausted, which calmed him. Some doodles around the redhead showed he only needed to rest. Then, the blue eyed teenager took the Nomicon, who give the bucket back, and picked his friend off the floor.

Howard was way lighter now.

That or the Tengu had some side effects in his friend´s body.

Leaving behind the bucket in the workshop, he closed the doors and went to the woods behind the school. He could not carry Howard home without calling unwanted attention, and there was still a nest more or less functional. It was a nice day, without wind or rain for that night. Or the nights before.

It was easy to find the nest, and not so easy to climb with Howard. However, he made it, and Randy put Howard in the centre, with a few soft leafs under his body. There was no featherbed. After make his friend as comfortable as he could, Randy took his cell phone and called his mother, saying he was with Howard, and he was going to sleep in his friend´s place. Then, he called Howard´s mother and said something similar to her. And nothing of that was a lie. When his mother wished him a good night, Randy put his cell phone away and looked at the sky, thinking.

He has a lot to think.

.-.

He was awakened the next morning, with a familiar glow coming of his backpack, the same he used as a pillow for the night. He opened his backpack and took the Nomicon, who glowed with impatience.

-What´s going on?- he opened the book and felt the familiar pull.

Randy appeared in the middle of a dojo, with Tengu paints in the walls, and what seemed to be two steamy teacups in front of two cushions. The boy fell in one, and in front of him appeared a very familiar figure, in fluorescent colours. But the red details were green, and his long scarf seemed to fray in the end, like rotten lace.

The tea steam entered for one of the figure´s eyes and escaped for the other, and when the green and black ninja opened his mouth, with ripped fabric instead of teeth, Randy could see only green steam inside, and darkness. And saw in detail when the other opened more and more his mouth and gulped down his teacup, cup included, and then Randy´s, and then he looked at him, with green eyes full of venom, and began to walk like a gorilla towards him. The other boy jumped to get away of the creature, knowing it was the Nomicon, but feeling uncomfortable anyway.

A scroll appeared over the creature.

"Envy is a first step to evil"

Randy looked at the creature, way different to anything the Nomicon has shown to him, and it felt familiar, not because it seemed to come from the same place than the original Ninja suit. The floor beneath his foot slid, letting him fall while the strange creature looked at him from above, smaller and smaller, and then he was in his body again.

Howard was sitting at his side, looking at him.

-Hey, hi Howard- Randy said, still with a strange sensation he did not like –Did you manage to get some rest?

-Yes, I think- he still looked weakened, but at least he could stand without help –Are we in the nest?

-Yes- the other teenager stood –It would have been… Eh?

The Ninjamomicon, still open, was shining like a treasure chest full of gold coins. Black and red ribbons appeared from the pages, and in the middle of the swirling colours, it appeared.

-The mask!- Randy cried out, smiling from ear to ear.

He took it with care, relieved to feel the familiar fabric between his fingers. He closed the Nomicon and sat down in the nest floor, putting the book aside and with the mask now in his two hands. It felt like the new model of something he used for a long, long time. And then, Randy remembered what the Nomicon has said.

-Howard, did you envy me?

-What are you talking about, Cunningham?

-Do you feel envy for something about me?

-Envy?- the redhead thought about it for a moment –No. Not even when you became the Ninja. In the beginning I thought it was the cheese, but after saw how much it took, I stopped. It was too much for me. Too much NNS.

-And now?

-Now, human, I am here- the red eyes looked at Randy, a little tired –And what you have in your hands is more powerful of what you had, and it is thanks to me… I do not envy my creations- he closed his eyes, and when he opened them again, it was Howard who spoke –And you can´t fly or make magical suits, so it´s a no.

-It´s a good think to know you are alive.

-He or me?

-You first. And then, the Tengu.

.-.

-Mortal.

Viceroy dropped his Tablet when he listened, suddenly, the Sorcerer´s voice coming for one of the McFist communicators. He looked at the green skinned being, and he regained his composure as soon as he could.

-Yes, sir?- his voice did not wave. Good.

-I have a new task for your boss and you.

The scientist noted the other was in a very good mood, and calmed himself a little more.

-Viceroy! I want you to make a robot to…!- McFist walked in yelling, and cut himself dry when he saw the Sorcerer. He gave him a nervous smile –Oh, hi, sir.

-What have you discovered about the one hundred male teenagers left?

-At intellectual level, their aptitudes vary- Viceroy said –The same happens at physical and emotional level. Maybe if we follow them in time, we could acquire more information and obtain a smaller group…

-I want you to choose the most apt of this group with all the data you have now- the Sorcerer said –And soon you will obtain more elements to find the Ninja´s true identity.

-As you said, sir- McFist said, and turned to the scientist –Do it. Now- he smile to the Sorcerer.

-And when you get the group, choose the emotionally least stable of them. I have a gift for him- said the magical being, smiling with evil.

.-.

-Ow! Auch! Get out of the way! Caution, dragoooooooooo…!

Crash!

-At least now-ow-I lasted almost twice the time-auch-than before- the Ninja said, in the middle of what seemed like a broken shogun-armoured dragon, in a Japanese wood.

-Now you do not have the weight you had- Tengu-Howard said, from a nearby tree, sitting in one branch –Now you have the feather´s consent, and it will give you more and better abilities.

-Should I began to use weights in arms and-ow-legs?- the Ninja could finally stood, and rubbed his limbs.

-No- Tengu-Howard flapped down and come closer to Randy –You should first learn to dominate your max velocity, and then you can use the weights.

-But what if someone is stanked or McFist robots attack?

The doodles surrounding him said he should not worry about it.

-Without a teenage crowd, there are very few chances of that- the Tengu took the Ninja´s right arm and began to examine it, putting his hand above it –What do you feel?

-A little confusion, and my body feel sore.

-That is better than be dead. Or imprisoned.

The tone has not gone unnoticed.

-Nomicon, let´s go outside- Howard said –We will try the meditation exercises you taught us. See you later, Randy- he said to his friend.

When they disappeared of the woods, the boy looked around him.

-I still do not understand what happened between you two- he looked at the sky, to the dragon remains, to the branch when Tengu-Howard was a minute ago –And I do not understand what kind of relationship do you have.

The Nomicon remained silent.

-It looks like you two dance around the subject, not deciding to discuss about it- Randy continued –Which seems very unhealthy to me, since it seems Tengu will be a part of Howard like you are a part of me.

Some doodles appeared in the air, showing a blushed Nomicon.

-And now, let´s go for the super-jumps!

.-.

-What happened in there?- Howard asked, back in Randy´s room, with the blue eyed teenager still leaning in his table, with his face in the Nomicon.

-Old issues- the Tengu answered, grinding his beak.

-I can see that. It was for the feathers?

-That was one of the last straws!- shouted the bird-demon inside his head, and the redhead put both hands in his forehead, feeling a headache rising –Hrm. And then they imprisoned me, after steal my power.

-Then, if we are going to continue like this, we should know each other more- Howard said, and sat in the floor with his legs crossed, trying to remember some exercises –You know what I like and what I don´t, because of my memories, but I know very little about you.

Silence.

-I… do not remember much after being sealed.

-What´s the first thing you remember?

-My comfortable nest in the woods.

-Now you have another, if you want to come back. An it´s not so bad after all.

-Your house is not a wood.

-That´s right. My house is something made for humans by humans, but with a lot of things you can use to make nests. Like cushions. And there are a lot of them in front of the TV and the videogame´s console.

After the first exercise, started the second one, which consisted in leaning in a comfortable place and control the breathing, without talking. Howard used his thoughts.

"Were you always aware for all these centuries?"

"No. I was asleep."

"Where did you were sealed? This is not a Tengu´s land."

"In the islands beyond the big sea. I think they called it Japan today."

"Men, you are very far away from home."

The Tengu did not answer.

"Do you miss your friends?"

"We do not have the thing you humans called "friendship"."

"Then, what´s wrong?"

"It´s the Nomicon. He is the principal motive."

"And back to square one again. What´s with him?"

-Howard!

Randy´s cry sent both of them to reality again, out of their relaxed state.

-What´s wrong, Cunningham? We were in one of our relaxing or meditation exercises- he said, very upset –Didn´t you know?

-No, not that, Howard. And Tengu- Randy said, coming closer to his friend –The Nomicon had detected something very, very strange, like the Sorcerer´s magic but with another shape. Did someone get stanked nearby?

-As much as I know, no- the red eyes looked at him, a little sad –What did you detect now? An Oni?- asked to the book, with way less sarcasm now.

-It´s something big, guys- the blue eyed teen went to the window –Something like that time when… when you appeared, Tengu.

-As much as I know, I´m the only Tengu here- he looked at the book –Unless there is something you did not mention to me.

-The only one I could think of is the Sorcerer, but he is still underground- he half closed his eyed at the distance –And he did not obtain enough power to free himself. But he did obtain enough power to do… something.

.-.

-For me?

-That´s right, my boy- McFist said –Since you are a McFist industries products regular costumer, we invited you to the main office to test a new product. It´s a prototype ready to be used, but we want you to give us all your opinions in that regard, to refine details- he smiled with his bet philanthropist millionaire face in front of the moved teenager.

-Can I open it?

-Of course you can!

The boy ripped out the promotional gift envelope, and then he opened the box, touched. He was surprised to see a green glow emerging from the box, and he marvelled seeing it´s content.

-It´s a Ninja mask!

-Let´s said, for copyrights motives, we modify a little the model, but in essence, it´s the same- Viceroy said. He give the boy a contract –Please, sign the confidentiality contract here. It´s a secret prototype, and _nobody_ should know McFist industries produced it. It´s an indispensable requisite to keep the mask. And, of course, when we launch the product to the public you will receive a deluxe edition, unique in the world.

-Great!- he signed with enthusiasm, without reading.

-Now, boy, try it here, to check if we have the right size- McFist was very, _very_ controlled about his shouting. The Sorcerer will not forgive another fail, and it had been very clear about the point.

The smiling teenager put the mask on, sliding it above his head. For a second, nothing happened. Then, ribbons which looked more like ghost tentacles, black and green, came out from the mask´s inferior edge, surrounding him.

-Wow! It´s like a magical girl transformation, but for boys!

Once the transformation ended, Viceroy and Mcfist saw a black and green Ninja, with the scarf flowing thanks to an inexistent wind, like rotten seaweed in the putrid waters of a very still lake. They waited for what they know will follow, and when the teenager suddenly stopped, silencing his awe, their tension raised.

The being in black and green opened his mouth, showing teeth like tattered fabric.

In his inside was only darkness.

-I think it was a success, sir, Viceroy said.

.-.

.-.

From now on, the fanfic began to take distance from the original idea.

Nakokun


	7. Ghost Ninja

-The Ninja is here!

Randy and Howard stopped in their tracks when they heard the blonde girl crying out, in the lockers corridor. They looked at each other, confused. More and more teenagers began to follow the blonde, and they followed. There was no monster drill this day, no one was being stanked, and there were no McFist´s robots in sight.

All of them run to the backyard, and yes, in the flagpole was the Ninja.

He grabbed the flagpole with one hand, and his both legs were bent, against the pole, with his green scarf floating in the wind. He looked at the crowd and waved, not saying a word, and Tengu knew there was something very, very wrong.

-He has no substance- he said to Randy, after pulling his sleeve until his ear was at the same level with his mouth.

-Substance? Is he a ghost?- the taller teenager asked.

-No, he is solid… but he is not made like the original one. This is more… hollow. It feels like if inside the suit was nothing more substantial than mist.

"Or tea steam" Randy tough.

The Ninja did little more than observe the crowd before jump to the roof with some somersaults and disappear. And that´s confirmed Howard-Tengu´s suspicions: these moves did not have the Norrisville Ninja´s signature. It was not "another suit copy", but "something copying the suit".

-No- Tengu grabbed Randy´s arm, before he could go to his locker, to his mask –It´s an evident trap.

-He envies me.

-And if he did reach this level, what will stop him to do more?

.-.

-It felt really great!- the boy said, excited –Even my eyesight get better with the mask, even without my glasses. My agility has improved, and I could see people and objects moving slower, but I know they are not moving slower!

-Mm-hm- Viceroy said, writing everything –Do or did you feel tired, or discomfort, or inconveniences?

-No, I haven´t even sweated. And I´m not exactly the best in P. E. This prototype is marvellous!

The teenager´s joy was a big contrast with Voceroy´s laboratory (the most adequate place for the public, at least), and in special, with what the scientist was deducing. The boy´s skin was not changing yet, but the exam he did proved the effects were accumulative. And he did not know how permanent they were. Based in what his robolizards could film, the Ninja has not shown in this occasion.

-In a few days we could start with another test- the scientist smiled to him.

-Could it be sooner?- asked the boy, anxious.

-Oh, no, it will not be safe to use it more than twice a week, but abusing it could break it. And it´s the only one in existence.

-Oh- he was silent for a few seconds –Then, this could be a good point to improve. So it can be used more often.

-Oh, yes, it will be a very good idea- Viceroy wrote something more, and dismissed him.

.-.

-Then, if he is an enemy, why do not confront him, Nomicon?- asked Randy in the middle of a snow pine wood –He hasn´t done nothing bad until now, but if he could and we don´t stop him now…

"A friend will not take away something you obtained for good"

The boy stayed still, mouth wide open and the hand half raised.

-Oh, well, you are right in this- some doodles showed surprised ninjas surrounding him –Hey! I can grow up! I´m not always going to be as ignorant and prideful and all that you said I am sometimes.

The doodles ninjas laughed and disappeared.

-But the new ninja is weird. Even Tengu said it, something about being hollow and full of mist. Or tea steam. Is anyone inside there? Like a McFist robot? Or maybe it is a ninja suit operating of its own, or by remote control.

The Nomicon send Randy back to his body, drooling in his bed.

-Or a former Ninja spirit? I mean, I do not believe being the ninja can give you immortality. Or a ghost wishing he was the Ninja when he has alive?- he rubbed his chin, intrigued –Or maybe is a girl in cosplay… with superpowers. And what if he is a magical being, like the Tengu?

.-.

The second time the ghost Ninja appeared was during Bucky´s weekly stank. The Ninja could stop the monster with ease, and then he looked directly towards the being he noted seconds before putting his mask on. In the gym, when he finally de-stanked Bucky, the crowd began to cheer the real Ninja, and then they turned to see what his hero was looking at. They were surprised immediately.

-Smoke bomb!

The Ninja appeared a few feet away from the ghost Ninja. Hearing the near explosion, the being turned, open a little his mouth and showing the tatter in his mask. When the smoke dissipated, they looked at each other.

-Hi- said Randy, cautious.

The other smiled, not saying a word, and turned his body to him.

-I think we haven´t being presented- the blue eyed-teen continued.

The ghost Ninja jumped to him, and Randy jumped back, keeping the distance, from window to window and from cornice to cornice. The Ninja observed the other seemed to be waiting for something, not showing himself, by the moment, aggressive. He gasped, moving the tattered cloth in his mouth in and out his mouth.

-Hey, if you are going to keep appearing like this, you should at least say to me how you want to be called. I do not think you are called ghost Ninja, right?

The other shook his head and smiled.

The Ninja tilted his head, curious.

-It may not be a good idea to you to appear like this- he continued –If you do not know what you can face, you could be hurt by robots or stanked students.

More gasps.

-Sorry, I didn´t understand.

The ghost Ninja gasped with certain rhythm, like trying to talk, but the words did not come out of his mouth.

The Ninja arched a brow.

The other looked over his shoulder, like hearing something at the distance, and jumped from the window to the ground. He ran towards the woods, under Randy´s watchful eyes, who decided to follow him. With all the stealth he could use, he followed the black and green being. They crossed the woods, and Randy observed the other was using camouflage. He did the same immediately.

He would not have noted it, If not for his increased senses.

Three robolizards appeared and began to run at the ghost Ninja side, and the boy jump and rode one of them, turning almost invisible. Almost, because Randy was not a normal person, and he keep following them undetected to the site he knew, now by sure, they were going. What surprised him a little was the fact they entered for a lateral door, not for the ventilation ducts or the service door. Like any other employee.

Really.

Keeping his camouflage, the Ninja slipped between the roboapes guarding the door, noting dozens of robolizards inside the giant pyramid. The ghost Ninja went through a door hidden behind a picture, with the robotic tide, and Randy almost followed.

He saw himself going through the door, behind the other, and being captured immediately with a paralyzing ray. Then, the ghost Ninja walked towards him, and tried to took the mask off Randy, but he did not succeed. And then, the Ninja was tossed inside a laser-bar cell.

He snapped back to reality, like waking of a dream.

Judging for the robolizard flow, not a half second has passed in the daydream-like state.

However, he was not going to take the risk. He turned around and exited through a window, a couple of floors above, in an office full of McFist employees. His camouflage worked all the way with his image, but did not help with his weight or the sound he emitted. He passed several desks and saw some familiar faces, taking special care in not revealing himself.

Once outside, he ran towards school, invisible.

.-.

-You were right, Tengu- he said after school –This suit have things the last did not have.

-Is that all?- the demon bird asked, puffing his chest, not showing feathers but with red eyes.

-The other Ninja was created by McFist, or so it seems. And now they raised the level.

-With the abilities you have now, if you polish and dominate them, you could defeat them- Tengu did not stop walking during all the conversation –The Sorcerer is not going to sit down and commit the same mistakes over and over, looking how you get better. And now the one who grow up a level is you.

-And by the way, did you dominate the super jumps?- Howard asked, with his light brown eyes.

.-.

The Sorcerer waited.

Not like before, of course, since he had glimpsed, for first time in centuries, a real possibility of freedom. And then the Tengu snatched it away. With a cold fury, bigger than any other in his years of imprisonment, he calculated his next steps.

Viceroy was capable, very capable, to achieving it.

It was time to test the boy.

.-.

.-.

Should I include a new mythical creature or not?

Oh, my, I really want to put the Tengu in a situation with Randy, including cuddles and kisses… and Randy accepting it. In the other hand, Yaoi exist even for inanimate objects, and the fanfic "Unique desires" was so hot, I don´t think I could do it better, at least, not now.

Nakokun


	8. Tengu s wings

It was not the stagger, nor the lack of answers to Randy´s questions, nor the fact he didn´t call Julian "weirdo" in all the opportunities he had. It wasn´t, either, the lack of reaction when he noticed a new Grave Puncher game in the Arcade, or the lack of energy.

Howard did not touch his lunch.

That told Randy his friend was not okay.

-Howard, what´s going on?- asked the blue eyed teen, worried.

-We have felt like this since this morning- the redhead answered –Like something were pressing all the parts in my body.

-Did you go to the nurse?

-This isn´t something a human could cure- said the other, with red eyes –It means there is a power imbalance, and it has a lot to do with the two new suits. Yours and the other´s. It´s not a copy of your suit, but something coping yours.

-And what´s the difference?

The Tengu looked at him.

-It doesn´t have all the needed characteristics, even trying. There are other things… Ad this make me sick. It stinks to Sorcerer´s power. The damned moron.

.-.

After a month, the effects were more than permanent.

The Sorcerer erased the boy from every database in existence, using McFist for that. It was not a difficult task: it was an orphan, and no one seemed to pay attention to him. It was not a surprise. The boy idolized the Ninja and, seeing the opportunity to mimic him, and someone saying him _he_ was valuable, his mind offered little to none resistance.

Simple, like priest to acolyte.

Once absorbed the needed substance, he send his ghost Ninja to do the things he was created for.

.-.

Tengu was restless.

Randy found them in the middle of what looked like a nest, made of cushions, bed sheets, a videogame controller and some pufs. Tengu-Howard gave him a little space, and they began a new Grave Puncher 5 game. After half an hour, the redhead put the controller down and hunkered down in the middle of the nest, without intentions to sleep. The feathers in his arms were little but there they were, and didn´t cover the boy´s hands.

-Randy- Howard said, after half an hour of silence –I… we… need the Nomicon´s help.

The other teenager took the book and put it at Howard´s reach, over a cushion. The redhead looked at it with light brown eyes, sometimes with red flashes, but always more human than nothing.

-You taught him to move. Teach me to fly.

Howard´s head fell in a cushion, drooling.

.-.

-Because it´s flying, you know? But if I fell I will broke my spine, and I do not want that and he neither.

In the middle of a meadow with a lake, Howard was trying to be understood.

-I mean, you know how to use the feathers: I just wanted to know if you could do the same with a different person, like me.

In front of him, a doodled Tengu appeared.

-Yes, he could, and he knows how to fly like that, but when we were… um… - confused, he looked at his palm –when the two of us are in control, with wings and arms and feathers, the instincts are not very useful. And… I don´t know how to do that and I want to know, so, um…

The doodle looked confused.

-He _is_ capable. But I do not know how it´s done and sometimes, um… - he struggled for the words –sometimes I feel the impulse to go out for the window and fly. I don´t know if you know what it feels, but when Tengu remembers it, it´s like… like something out of the world. And since you know how to teach to use Tengu feathers, um…

The doodle flapped around Howard.

-I mean, he, um… you know how to teach and… Oh, come on, I have to learn to fly.

.-.

-You´ll wait here- the Sorcerer order to him.

The ghost Ninja nodded, and sat down in the column´s border. He began to swing his legs back and forth, not moving his eyes, poison green, and silent. The rat looked at him, and then at the Sorcerer.

-McFist- he called –It´s all ready?

In the other side, said human almost fell of his chair.

-Um, yes! I though a plan to, um… - he looked at his side –Viceroy! What was the plan I though?

-The Tengu is still here- the scientist said, off-screen –And it seems it reconstructed the Ninja´s suit, which means he has a physical shape. If the only way is by possessing a human, then the Tengu must be inside a Norrisville high student.

-So?- the Sorcerer arched a brow. The ghost Ninja was still swinging his legs.

-Maybe the Tengu saved the ninja, sir, or maybe the Ninja ceased to be in charge after his mask´s destruction- Viceroy continued –Or, maybe, the Tengu and the Ninja have an agreement. And if it is as we tough it is, if we captured the Tengu, the Ninja will follow soon. After all, it´s evident, given the last situations, his power has grown. And are very few explanations for that.

.-.

The robolizards were everywhere.

That day, Randy counted fifty at least, including the ones in the front door, the ones attacking during lunchtime, and the afternoon ones. They ran for all the surfaces, rummaging backpacks, lockers, bags and even the pupil´s pockets. The Ninja could stop all of them, even the invisible ones, but this did not save him of being sprinkled with whatever the robots used as fuel.

-Princess Tootie!

-My hat!

-My monocycle!

-GIVE ME BACK MY TRIANGLE DAMNED BEAAAAAAAARRRRRRRGGGGGGGHHHHHHH!

With one of his ninja rings, the Ninja cut the robolizard´s torso and, at the same time, Bucky´s triangle. The boy went back to him human form, with his clothes a little ripped but in one piece.

-What´s with you today?- asked the Ninja to a robot –Are you moving?

-Look at this- said the robot, and lunged to the boy.

The Ninja dodged it.

And then they came in groups of three, and then in groups of ten, and formed a wall and lunged towards him. He was cornered.

-I don´t think so- he said, and took a smoke bomb, throwing it to the ground –Smoke bomb!

The robolizard crashed with the wall, scattered both sides in every direction, in the corridor and in the patio outside. When the Ninja appeared again, after a smoke explosion, one of the robolizards break, splattering him with, he supposed, was some kind of fuel.

And it was schnasty.

.-.

-Cunningham, are you here?- Howard knocked one of the occupied stalls in the bathroom. The only one occupied, in fact –You stink, men.

-I know, and that´s why I haven´t come out.

-I said them you were sick for all the things happening today, and they believed it: some students vomited already.

-Thanks, bro.

-Now, mortal, come out- the redhead said, with a voice a little more hoarse –Even the booklet must have told you if you not come out, you will not achieve anything.

-Do you know how to take off this schnasty stench?

-Yes, now come out.

Randy did it, with the eyes a little watered for the reek after his battle against the robolizards. It wasn´t so shocking when all the students were sent home after: of course, except the ones still in the infirmary or the bathrooms, trying to calm down. Luckily, this was the less popular bathroom in school, since it was the oldest one.

-First, close the door. It can be a little long- Tengu said, and Randy obliged, taking a little ladder and jamming the door. The bathroom has not a single window, other motive to use any other bathroom in the building –And now, give me the mask.

Randy, hesitating a little, gave it to him and looked Tengu-Howard growing some feathers. And a beak. Without the shirt or the shoes, it seemed like a bird his-best-friend- size. And the same being was rubbing the mask against his wing´s feathers.

-I suggest washing it with soap and water as soon as possible when you arrived home. The stench will not come back, but it has my scent now, and I know not everyone could appreciate it- he handed the mask back to Randy, not reeking anymore. And neither did Randy, for the blue eyed teen surprise –Now go home and take a bath, or two. You stink like one of the robbed kids earlier this day.

-Wow, thanks, friend.

-I´m not Howard.

-I know- Randy said.

The Tengu looked at him for a second before sink his head and look away.

.-.

-Well, now, flying lesson number one- Howard said, excited –Are you ready?

"Yes" the demon bird answered, a little distracted.

-Hey, come on, you must be excited. Focus! Or should I remind you how important this is?

"More respect, mortal!"

-That´s the spirit!

.-.

Howard decided to stop in a certain place before go to his home to take a bath.

After all, what reeked were the feathers, not him, and he wanted to use what the… well, what the Nomicon taught him. He, or she, could be even useful, when the booklet was not so obnoxious. The Nomicon indicated him the best option was to go to a rarely used place, or almost never visited, and he had decided the observatory, in the city hill, surrounded by clean field and so old there was no chance to have security cameras.

"What are these things, human?"

"Something with the capacity to show what you have said and done" the redhead answered, slipping his shirt off his head and taking off his shoes. He put it in his bag pack, and hide it in a bush, near the cliff edge "So it will be better if we fly as far as the populated areas as possible, and go to the tree zones. If we fall, we will land in leaves"

.-.

After gliding above the observatory fields, with a half transformation, and after make sure Tengu-Howard could fly for several minutes non-stop, Tengu decided it was moment to stretch his wings.

"Flying low and away of the houses" repeated, at the boy´s pledge "Do not scare people. I do not want to end my days in a zoo"

-Good, then, we are ready- the teenager said, covering himself completely in feathers, with his legs changing until they became avian, and a beak instead of mouth.

"Let´s fly, men!" the redhead said, excited.

.-.

-We confirmed its presence- Viceroy said to McFist, in the afternoon.

-Where is it?- asked the other, anxious.

-Look, sir, do you recognise this area?- the scientist pointed something in the screen.

-Isn´t that the woods behind Norrisville high?

-You are right, sir, and look who we have in the nest.

.-.

The sensation of flying, with Tengu in control, was like gliding as the co-pilot. Without worries about the fly, the redhead relaxed and enjoyed the experience. He hated to admit it, but the Nomicon could be even positive sometimes. Her (or his?) advices were really useful in this aspect, and the result was very worthy.

They hover over the woods behind school, knowing the zone was neither populated nor popular, and they saw the nest. Tengu decided to shrink, and curled up in the middle of the nest, really comfortable for first time in centuries. The last lights of the day caressed his beak and his feathers. Even Howard relaxed.

And then, the green stank surrounded them.

Tengu tried to flutter, but the nest´s upper part was covered with something similar to spider web, and not the classical one. When he tried to open his wings, he found himself glued to the strange web, and green ribbons, like rotten silk, tied his legs, forcing them to bend under the body. For his horror, he noted he was becoming more and more humanoid, and fought it.

When he could not move anymore, he found his height has similar to Randy´s. He had legs, a head with a short beak instead of mouth, and wings instead of arms. He was covered in feathers, and he could not move.

A gasp made them look up, to the nest rim.

The ghost Ninja looked at them, smiling.

.-.

.-.

The next chapter may be a little late, since the Sorcerer wants to get everything ready for his visitor. But it´s finished already.

Nakokun


	9. Broken feathers

The Sorcerer was no fool.

He had his ups and downs, yes, but centuries did not come and go without teaching you things, and he yearned to learn.

It was fot that, when the mermaid´s dream ended, he did not use the power he gathered to try to open his shackles, or the chains. He saved it, knowing he was going to need it very, very soon. He inverted it in creating the suit, with the dark skinned mortal´s help and his techology, and the result was very satisfactory. Now he had another servant, and when the human inside was consumed, he obtained another kind of energy, and a big amount of it.

The kind the Norisu did not suspect he could obtain.

And, therefore, they did not take mesures against it.

.-.

Randy shivered.

Which was strange, since he has liying in his bed, with the windows closed and the fan off. Following a hunch, he opened his backpack, and took the mask off. It glowed, like the Nomicon trying to tell him something. Looking at his sides, he put the mask on, and the ribbons, now reinforced with scarlet red, enveloped his body.

_Ropes._

He felt his shoulders were tied, at armpit-level, upwards, leaving almost no room to move. And his wrist were tied, far from his body, painfully streched, in an almost unbearable way. Some of his featers broke under the ropes. And something keep his legs trapped up to his knees, something too solid to figth it. And it went up. Like a hand with long fingers, slim and green under his chin, looking him with his evil face and asking him _who are you, Ninja?_, surrounded by stank and...

He looked around ans saw his room.

The felling has been so real, like a memory. Like that time he followed ghost-Ninja. When the ribbons returned to the mask, he took the Nomicon almost without thinking. When he opened it, he obtained the answer he was afraid to recieve: "The bonds you create will pull on you".

Because friendship was a weight a ninja cannot carry.

And now, two of his friend were in danger.

.-.

-And why do not use the Extermination protocol?- yelled McFist to Viceroy

-Because, sir- the scientist answered -the Sorcerer wanted him for himself. Besides, he could be way more useful alive, at least for a few days... For example, to reveal his identity. Or to know how it is possible for a suit tu survive for eight hundret years of intense use. If this factor can be isolated, it cold have some use for humans. If you have any interest in living centuries, sir.

-Oh, that sound interesting. See? That´s why I told you not to use the Extermination protocol. And how are you doign in this topic?

-The feathers has high an controlled energy levels, and its features seem to be able to affect close mass. However, it burned after an hour of beint taken from Tengu´s body.

-Then we should keep the Tengu alive! And obtain its powers!

-Sir, do you want to ask yourself the Sorcerer for more feathers?

-Er, no- he rubed the back of his head -Maybe later.

.-.

-No, Sandy, Howard is not home- Heidi answered, at the phone -If he hasn´t come in an hour, is a dead men, mom said.

-Ah, thanks, Heidi. I´ll tell him- the boy said, and hung the phone.

He must remain calm.

His best friend, and the Tengu, were trapped, at the Sorcerer´s reach.

Calm down.

And the Sorcerer belived the Tengu was the Ninja.

Calm down.

And the stank floating around them pointed he has gained more power than before.

Calm down.

Think.

Plan ahead.

And then, to the rescue.

.-.

The mask was examinated from every angle and form, and now he could do it with the whole suit.

Viceroy observer the anonymous boy´s statics, now inexistent, and then he examined the ghost-Ninja. Indeed, the mask, the one he wanted to analize so much, has been copied and improved. Besides, the Ninja obtained another, which means it _could be manufactured_. It was worth it the risk to destroy it before. The Sorcerer was way more reliable than McFist.

The black and green creature jumped from side to side, being attacked for wave after wave of robots, including some with information about all the Ninja´s battles. Alone or with another robot, they were the most difficult to defeat, and had been battling against the ghost-Ninja since day one. His learning ability was amazing, at the point Viceroy knew capturing the Tengu was feasible, and very feasible, for him.

The ghost-Ninja cutted in half the last ninja-robot.

-It´s all for now, said Viceroy, smiling.

It was time to get back to work.

.-.

-We could have been allies- the Sorcerer toched part of Tengu´s throat -and you know how good it could have been to you- a finger in his chest, another half way his neck, the third one in his neck, and the fourth tapping his chin.

-Yeah, sure- the bird-demon looked at him with his red eyes -If no for the Ninja.

-And how do I know you are not him?- the green figure smiled -How do I know you are not the new Ninja?

-And how do you know this ninja is a different one? Or if he is a robot? Or if you never really awaked, and you are still asleep, imprisioned and alone?

The Sorcerer´s smile grew cold.

-Did you know?- his vioce was cold.

-There was no one ignoring it.

-And why didn´t you do something?

-Because, first- his look hardened -I had no liking of you. And when it come out, you were asleep alreday and sealed in a distant land. As you said before, when you saw they were after my feathers and I asked for your help centuries ago, what´s my gain?

The fingers stopped.

At the Tengu´s hard look, the Sorcerer smiled, slow and with a bitter joy.

-So it´s true- his words dripped evil and an insane satisfaction -You succeeded possessing a mortal. The ones who talk about "robots".

Suddenly, his hands put pressure in the demond-bird neck and chest.

-You can feel physical pain... And humans broke easy, you know?

His hand loosened, and the Tngu took a deep breath.

-If you are possesing the Ninja, I will enjoy double breaking this body- he forced the Tengu to raise his head to the point of resistence -And if you aren´t, I will enjoy the same. And once freed, with my complete physical form, I will have two slaves for my own _pleasure_.

-Can´t you say- the Tengu gasped -in a more evident way, you will not know what flesh pleasure is if not forcing it?

The Sorcerer looked at him, his smile growing cold.

-He- the laugh sounded more like a cough -I knew you were ugly when human, but it seems you could never get over it- he gasped a little -Too much pretensions for an arrogan human, and you can´t even defeat a "big ugly bird", as you said centuries ago.

-When I´m through with you, I will plunge your feathers, one by one- he said, furious -I will boil you in water and oil, and I will burn the feathers in your body daring to grow again. I will put you in the cage you feared so much, but I will not be so gantle as the Norisu. Because this time, you´ll wish to be dead. Every. Second.

.-.

Viceroy liked the new situation.

It was a more accelerated pace, wich forced him to use his talent more frecuently. Sometimes he felt his head has lighter, in these long nights when he did not care to skip sleep to analize data and obtain information. He programmed one robo-ape to bring his food tree times a day: the hours flown by and he usually forgot he has a stomach. He had to do it when he fainted after two days of analyzing the ghost-Ninja data non-stop.

Indeed, an interesting subject.

An experimentation subject, fo course, since he could talk with it like a sapient being, but he saw it like an extremly advanced robot, and organic. Besides, it was the only one to have access to the Sorcerer´s lair, and it captured the Tengu. It was a pity he was a male: "he" could have had offspring, with the science´s aid.

He heard a gasp behind him, and turned.

-Oh, good- he said, seeing the ghost-Ninja -I´ve raised the difficulty level, and the roboninja´s weapons are real now.

A gasp.

-The worst they can do is rip your´s suit fabric, but the regeneration speed is almost instantly. You are very lucky, since you do not have central nervious system- the scientist smiled to it, grabbing a lighter inside his pocket -There is only a test left.

The ghost-Ninja, standing six feet away of the adult, did not move when he took his hand and put it palm-down, at his own eye-level. Viceroy put the lighter under the green and black dressed palm, and ignite it. The flame sparked to life and began to lick the fabric, not burning it. Not even when the lighter almost touched his palm. Viceroy turned off the lighter and smiled.

-I think you are ready.

.-.

The security has been reinforced.

The Ninja found all the places he used to enter before, sealed. And with connected alarms, as he could see. Using all his camouflage habilities, he trespassed the first alarm barrier. If he were a year younger, maybe he could relax, but Randy was wiser and more aware or reality now. The stakes were way higher, and something said to him the two alarm barriers ahead will be the last thing he will have to worry about, very soon.

He noted inmediatly something big happened.

The robolizard were lurking, patrolling the corridors with its camouflage on. Randy had been smart enough to not turn off his camuflage, caution he had adquired not long ago, and he avoided being detected instead of destroying guard-robots. Feeling lighter, more agile and stronger, he inspecter the building until he arrived to McFist´s office.

And here he was.

-Can he be injured, then?- asked McFist to the Sorcerer.

-That´s right- the green beign answered -He is possesing a human body, and he refuses to tell me if he is the Ninja or not. Anyway, he did not tell nothin worty of being listened now, so you can try worming all the possible information. Knowing how the possession process is, it doesn´t matter if you use anything mortal for humans, so do not hold back yourself.

Hidden behind a pair of giant pipes, Randy could see Tengu, trapped as he had felt before, with some feathers broken for the ropes and surrounded by stank. He looked tired, but the fire in his eyes was still there.

-Maybe, after a well-deserved treatment, he will understand the benefits of being my subordinate- the Sorcerer said, sending a stank ball towards the demond-bird. His beak opened and he cawed what Randy though sounded like insults in japanese, reciving a slap in response. The red eyes did not stop to look at him with fury and some sarcasm.

-Then, this vermin could be the Ninja...

-Do whatever you want with him. Being a human possessed by the Tengu, he will no die untill the demond-bird fade. Contract or no contract.

.-.

The Ninja did not reveal himself.

He waited for what seemed hours for him, until Viceroy informed McFist something in his phone. He mentioned training, ghost-Ninja, and how much better it was since last time, and he will send it to the sorcerer, unless McFist had some order for it. For the test subject, of course.

-Send him here. Let the Sorcerer see how much better has became his... um... disciple.

A little later, the office´s doors opened, and the black and green ninja entered. He stood in front of the Sorcerer, and then he kneeled down and bowed, touching the floor with his forehead. Ignoring McFist, and not paying any attention to Viceroy, he stood in the same position until a roboape entered the office, in Ape mode.

He destroyed it in a second.

Randy could see how he moved, and recognized his own movements in the strange creature. The Sorcerer´s smile grew with each roboape destroyed. Not even the gears under the office´s floor stopped him. A giant screen, in front of the Sorcerer, showed the entire scene for all the presents in the office.

The Ninja didn´t move.

He observed the ghost-Ninja, looking how he defeated the robots, one after another, without sweat a drop. He noted his suit barely had any scratch, and in the only ocasión five roboninjas could scratch him, it regenerated itself, like water being cutted. The defeated robots lied in piles, growing by the second, until Viceroy order to stop the robot´s attack.

-It destroyed half the operative robots in existence- the scientist said to the sorcerer.

-Good- the other said -You had proven to be worthy- he said, looking at the scientist, and McFist stepped in front of Viceroy, smiling -Ghost-Ninja, come back. I have another mission for you.

He repeated the bow and exited the office, following Viceroy.

And Randy went after them.

.-.

Soon the corridors were full or operative roboapes, carring the remains of he battle. The ghost-Ninja walked with steady steps, as fas as he could without running, dodging the robot´s waves. The Ninja followed, hanging from pipes, scaffoldings, wires and various structures, always with the green and dimmer glow in sigh.

He follow him for corridors, rooms, automatic doors, and later for a tunnel, more a more spartan at each step, at the point it was just a cave with a level floor. If Randy calculations were rigth, they must be hundreds of foots under Norrisville, and the ghost-Ninja continued descending. In almost absolute dark, the Ninja was another shadown, and as such he followed in silence, after the one who did not change his pace in all his walk.

Soon his feets were surrounded for green mist.

A dimmer ligth in the distance catch the Ninjás attention. The ghost-Ninja was very constant in his speed, but when an agonic moan came to him, he sprinted to the light.

Randy froze for a split second.

The groan sonded like Tengu-Howard.

.-.

The Ninja looked the ghost-Ninja running away of the green ligth, and when he get under the spot he was hidden, he didn´t seem to note anything strange. Randy observer him run until his footsteps, inaudible for any other person, weren´t audible at his trainded senses. And only when he was sure the ghost-Ninja was too far away, he advenced towards the dimmed light.

The green stank was everywere.

It was a place with a repugnant foul smell, surrounded by pipes, rotten mud and rats sqeaks. In the middle of all, a column so tall it almost touched the ceiling, with the stank pouring from some pipes like a dimmed fountain. Shreds of something familiar to him swinged with the stink´s movement, and when he recognized it, his heart raced.

Ropes.

The same he had seen tying Tengu-Howard´s limbs, when the Sorcerer tried to obtain onformation out of him. Using his camouflage, and moving with all the stealth he has capable of, avanced like a transparent shadown, not parting his eyes of the swinging rope and percieving his surroundings at the same time. He jumped over some pipes, going towards the column´s top, wishing his suspects were unfounded.

A few meters before arriving, the smell of blood hit him like a hammer. Trying to control his pulse, he jumped a few meters, until he could peek the column´s top. The reek of blood crushed the stink in the column´s base. Steeling himself, he looked over the column´s top.

Tengu was here.

Or what was left of Tengu-Howard: the orange feathers were unmistakable. Rope burns were in his wings and legs, and one wing was benden in an unnatural way. The broken feathers surrounded the scene, with some ropes still tying the body in front of him. With empty eyes and a barely open beak, the demond-bird looked to nothingness.

The floor seemed to open under the Ninja´s feet.

Forgeting to breathe, he run the few meters towards the feathered being. Randy tried to find his breathing, his pulse, some sign Tengu-Howard was still alive, even the minimal movement of his red eyes, but he find nothing. An ice claw grasped his toughs, making his breath faster and running towards his torso by his spine. He tried to use his healing magic, taking a desesperate hold in it, but he could not even repair the broken feathers. He tried again, and again, and the spell´s warning words came back to his mind: you can only heal what´s is still alive.

Every time Randy used his spell, he could feel it draining his energy. An adrenaline and fear´s torrent run for his veins, and the rest of reality didn´t matter. A partcular fact was trying to penetrate his mind, while he closed it with the stubborness of a very spoiled child with a new craving. He remembered the last time Tengu-Howard talked to him, in the boy´s bathroom, and he understood, with the heart frozen, the smell was an _indicator_.

Something to mark the Ninja.

Feeling his body heavy and cold, like an ice being, his shoulders heavier than ever, and the despair running for his body, Randy cryed aloud as if his heart has being torn apart. It was like water running in a frozen cave, letting out everything wanting to escape.

And the stank possesed him.

.-.

.-.

And with this, ladies an gentleman, began one of the fanfic´s last chapters. I suggest to take it easy, because it will be a roller-coaster.

Nakokun


	10. Chained dragon

The roar was heard in the whole city.

The ground shaked, the car alarms turned on, and when they were turned off, some screams were heard. They screamed louder when the roars continued, followed short by another eartquake. It was almost midnight, and even the stars seemed to tremble when some fissures appeared in the ground.

After the roars, came an evil laugh.

.-.

The Sorcerer, observing the scene in the side, smiled.

The long-shaped asian dragon, red, black and violet, was circling in the reduced space, with fury and pain. He hit himself against the pipes, letting some scales fall in the meantime, roared, clawed the walls, then trying to gave his breath to the body in te top of the column, and then it started again.

His despair smelled delicious.

It reminded him the time he stanked almost the whole Norrisville school, after being crushed in chess. However, that was a little mix of a lot of different _flavours_, instead of the delicious scent in the air. The spheres in his waist were flying around him, and the only thing keeping him for being noted for the dragon was his imperceptibility spell.

Savouring the moment, he gather all the power the Ninja´s stank gave him, and send it against one of his shackles. His spheres had a huge amouth of power, bigger than anything he could obtain on eighth centuries of confinement, and he wanted to feel his wrists free. He knew not to hurry: he didn´t want to ruin all his hard work. Therefore, he let the power flow to weaken the shackle.

.-.

-Viceroy!- McFist yelled -What the heck is going on?

-I think it´s the Sorcerer, sir- the scientist answered, way calmer of what he tough will be -It seems he obtained the neccesary power to shake his chains.

-What?- the blonde looked at his interlocutor, who looked back ati him.

-The ghost-Ninja took two elemental pieces to his lair.

-What are you talking about?!- the eartquake stopped -WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON?!

-He find the principal motive all his plan were unsuccessful to date- the ghost-Ninja appeared out of nowere, running towards an inocent computer´s weeled chair. He landed on its seat cushion, put his chest agains the chair´s back, and strolled in the lab, using his legs to move around. McFist looked at him, nervious -You, sir, really didn´t have nothing personal against the Ninja.

-What are you saying?

-What I´m saying, sir, is that I know clearly what I want- Viceroy answered, smiling like the evil genius he was.

.-.

Raw for the pain, and even being stanked, the Ninja still had his skills.

That´s why he heard before seeing what was going towards him.

He twisted his neck upwards, dodging the golden sparkle chasing for the place his neck were a split second before. The same spark chased him, alwas aiming to his neck, tinkilng like a chain, And _it was_ a chain. Randy understood, in a vague way, the Sorcerer was still here, this place was his prision, an he hadn´t see him nowere. He had been chained for centuries, and now a chain wanted to catch him.

Following the sparkle pattern, he found were the Sorcerer was hidding. He leaped, without thinking, towards a place near the column´s base. If he were thinking clearly, he would have noted _why_ come closer was a big mistake. And the shackle clenching in his neck confirmed it,

-You are mine, Ninja.

.-.

The roars changed.

All Norrisville could hear the moment one of the terrible howls became a drowned one. The fury continued, but in a different tone, and the thuds preceded the eartquakes. Like a furious beast stomping in its prisions, roaring in rage an despair.

They asked themselves if it could be a robot, like the ones appearing in the schoool from time to time to cause havoc. Or if could it be a stanked student. They looked for the Ninja everywere, knowing he always apeared to save the day.

When the earatshakes and the roars stopped, the citizens though it was over.

.-.

-Have you finished your tantrum?

The dragon, coiled by force around the column, rested his head in the top. At its side he had the Tengu´s remains, and with each breath, feathers went flying. His body, similar to a snake´s, was chained to the column, and the links dug in his scales. Breathe was painful. And the internal pain was worse.

The Sorcerer came closer, grasping the chain constraining the dragon.

-It feels soo good to move without hearing the annoying tinkle- he lifted his left hand, with his wrist free of any restrain, and closed his first -There are soo much things awaiting, little ninja -he pulled the chain with his right hand, and the links squeezed. Randy whimpered -and soo much you have to pay... - he stopped pulling, and the clink sounded like an echo in the cavern.

Randy could not move nor talk. He wanted to tell a lot of things to Tengu and Howard, change his life for theirs, fall in an abyss and never see the sunlight again. And maybe the last one will became true. The Sorcerer, smiling like never before, raised his left hand towards the prisioner dragon´s face.

-I could rip you eyes out- the dragon blinked, not changing his expression -But then, you would not see all the things your incompetence caused. Your scales, instead, are way too useful. Is a pity to see you are not mature enough for harvest it, but is a matter of _time_... and never before it seemed so sweet to me.

Still holding the chain keeping the Ninja still, he walked towards the cloumn´s top border, stomping the Tengu´s chest in his way. He smiled to the dragon´s painful groan, but he didn´t turned. Once in the border, he observed the botton of his prision, the one he saw too much in his eigth centuries of imprisonment, and then he jumped.

-It´s time to expand my horizonts- he said, and walked to the exit.

.-.

-What are you talking about, Viceroy? The Sorcerer didn´t mention this!

-Of course not, Hannibal- the scientist answered, smiling -You are just a mere buffoon. You don´t know what evil really is... or madness.

The Ghost-Ninja stopped rocking in the wheeled computer chair, put his head over the back of the chair, with his hands on the seat coushin, and looked straigth to McFist´s eyes.

-You are less than necesary now- Viceroy stepped towards the other man. McFist stepped back -The bothers you cause are not justified- he took another step foward. Hannibal stepped back again.

The Ghost-Ninja jumped, now in all fours on top of back of the chair.

-Viceroy, I order you to...

-No- the scientist cut him off.

McFist, atonished, looked at his, until now, more prolific an loyal scientist. He noted, too, there were something in Viceroy´s eyes, something new: it was green and shined, like the Ghost-Ninja´s scarf, and it seemed just as poisonous. It was a disproportionate ambition, and a hunger which could not be satisfied in a phisical way.

-Did you know, Hannibal? I was never stanked- the scientist said, very calm -When I was in Norrisvolle high, I was never turned into a monster. And I began to investigate about it. Did you know the "posession" can be _controlled_?

-Er... no.

-That´s right. And it´s features can be isolated. For example- he said, taking off his glasses and clenning it with a piece of soft cloth -If we are talking about a person with a very high IQ, he or she could jump over all about phisical change.

McFirst looked at him, stunned and more and more frightened, watching him put his glasses on again.

-For example, all the energy could be channeled in a single objetive, even if a big amount of steps are required to achieve it- he looked straigth to his eyes, and Hannibal felt a shiver running down his spine -In this moment, I´m the only human the Sorcerer needs at his service.

McFist could not see the black and green flash pouncing towards him, and then he fainted.

.-.

"Randy?"

.-.

.-.

I must confess the fanfic changed its route since I began publishing it. It could have been finished five or four chapters ago, but then an idea appeared in my mind, and then another and another... and here we are. And the ending may not be a happy one.

Nakokun


	11. Ghost prision

The Ghost-Ninja ran towards the basement.

His master called him after the roars and rumbles stopped, and his orders were to bring the scientist with him. Viceroy was behind him, in one of his floating vehicles, at his same speed. He followed the green glow in front of him, smiling and enjoying the energy flow inside his body. In his mind, he plotted lots of plans for the future, since the equation has been polish to perfection, and the annoying variable was minutes from being modified.

He could smeel the Sorcerer in the distance.

Smiling, he looked again to the Ghost-Ninja, and chuckled.

.-.

McFist was terrified.

Maybe that was a very soft word; the terror has been devoured for something way bigger and more powerful, sinking him in its waters. Or in its steam, since the place he was in looked like an giant void, with just a few clouds. Clouds made with green-ish mist, with a strange glow and capricious shapes. It reminded him a crypt he entered when he was a child, as a dare.

Not daring to open his mouth, and shaking like a leaf, he moved his head, very slowly, looking his surroundings.

The space didn´t seem to have any kind of limits, and the only light came from the strange mist. He felt relieved and terrified to know Marci was not in the same place: they hadn´t caugth her (and maybe he could escape to save her), but he didn´t know what they could do with her (and what this place could do to her). She was Viceroy´s friend, the same men who was his right hand (not only because he made his robotic arm) until... until the moment he choosed to betray him.

To all the things happening to him, thath fact was the most incredible.

He felt something pulling him, like dozens of hands grabbing him and carring him to another place. The mist coiled him, moving his body without care. The movement´s speed made his vision a blur, and the change of scenary made him dizzy, tossed in a stone floor (or something similar), and smelling something like an open sewer. A pair of hands moved him very fast, forcing him to sit and lift his head.

And there was the Sorcerer, smiling form ear to ear.

.-.

"Randy?"

The dragon groaned, almost without energy to move.

Some doodles appeared around him, and he closed his eyes, exhausted. He didn´t want the Nomicon to see him like this, defeated, stanked and trapped, next to two of is friend´s corpose. However, he opened his eyes, saying to himself he deserved a good punishment, and looked at the doodles.

It pointed the corpose.

Randy closed his eyes again, took the deepest breath the chains allowed, and let the breath out.

The doodles pointed the corpose didn´t behave like a Tengu´s.

"It was Tengu-Howard" the dragon said, as if someone nailed his brain with iron and continued stabbing towards his throat.

"This is not a Tengu" a doodle said.

"Nor 100% nor 50%" another said.

"Fake" declared a thinrd one.

"The Sorcerer keep them here, and this is what I found" said Randy.

"If the Tengu is killed, the Mask will lose a part of it´s powers" the Nomicon said.

The dragon stopped breathing for a second.

And then he heard the Sorcerer laughting in the tunnel.

.-.

-It´s time to settle some things, McFist- the Sorcerer said, smiling from erar to ear.

Hannibal looked the being inside the reduced space in the tunnel. Not understanding what has happening, he tried to turn his head, but a pair of hands with iron will stopped him.

Viceroy, a little far of the scene, looked in silence. He remembered the way the Ghost-Ninja knocked out Hannibal, and how the creature opened its mouth, like a boa constrictor, before swallow McFist. It was incredible how something so big coud enter inside it, and even more seeing said big man reappear, confused and stunned, but without any changes in his phisical structure. The suit was, indeed, a resource he will use in the future.

-Do you remember when I said I will give you a superpower of your chioce?

-Er... yes- answered, still not recovering.

-I changed my mind- the air surrounding them stank to green mist and ancestral sewers -I will give you the complete pack, McFist, right now.

-Eh?- Hannibal blinked for a few seconds -Did I capture the Ninja?

-Oh, no, you didn´t capture him- the green being dripped evil in each word -But you will recive all my power this day.

-T-thanks, sir.

-Of course, there is a price you must pay, since you didn´t suceed in time and form with your part of the deal- his left hand, free of shackle and chain, lifted to cup his face -And one I will pay, of course, but it will be a benefit after all...

Viceroy smiled.

The green stank coiled around the two of them, putting the Ghost-Ninja outside the central point, still holding McFist.

-After all, I need a new body.

.-.

Feeling the change in the vortex´s vertex, the dragon tried to move.

The shackle in his neck limited the amount of oxigen he could obtain in each breath, and the chains were tangled to keep him for moving. The another end was in some point of the base. The chain was, as it seems, impossible to break under these circumstances.

Randy opened his gullet.

He could feel the fangs inside his mouth, and he felt them in the outline of one of the nearest pipes. He perceived the friction between fang and metal, fangs way longer of what he tough will be. He tried to open his mouth more, but he couldn´t separete his fangs enough to bite the pipe. Then, he lifted his body all he could, hooked one fang to said pipe, and pulled.

Being chained to the column really gave him a very good fulcrum.

In no time, the pipe began to move. It yielded to the constant dragon´s pull, who felt, with the pipe´s fall, the chains began to loose.

He went for another pipe.

This time, he could reach a farther one.

.-.

The Ghost-Ninja didn´t wave in his hold, not even for a second.

Which was someting to note, since McFist body was moving like a puppet being pulled from all his strings at once. Viceroy observed how the Sorcerer, with his green and red stank, changed places with the multimillonarie. He could see the moment the Hannibal´s struggles changed to a more controlled ones, as if he was being tangled in a web. And pulling the threads out.

After a few minutes, the Ghost-Ninja released McFist.

Hannibal stand in his two feets, swinging a little from side to side.

-Good- he said, with a hoarse and controlled voice -It´s time to check my new kingdom.

-Were do you want to start, sir?- Viceroy asked, making him a place in his vehicle.

The Ghost-Ninja followed, leaving the fainted Sorcerer´s body behind.

.-.

Randy suspechted the sound has heard by the Sorcerer, but he sisn´t care.

When he finished with the pipes he could reach, he shaked his long body and the chain moved down, loosened. He attacked the column again, bitting and spitting the rooten mud and the pipes he found in his path, until he could move his claws. Collapsing th column, he set himself free of the chains coiled in his body.

Only the shackle in his neck was left.

The "corpose" above the column was long gone, dissapearing in the middle of green stank when Randy gathered up the courage to put a claw on it. Even the loosed feathers disapeared, disolving in green smoke, and went back to the lazy whirling flow in the column´s base, now way lees whole than before. For a few seconds he stayed still. He though in his situation and how could he escape, and then he heard a chain being pulled.

He put his head down, confused, and observed the other chain, the one not tied to his neck, was moving a little. He heard the Sorcerer´s voice in the distance, and steps coming close, followed for a very well know metallic noise. Observing the stank coiling around the column´s remain, the giand dragon hid in the mist.

And waited.

Half an hour later, a very confused Sorcerer appeared in the tunnel´s entrance.

And Randy leaped towards him.

.-.

.-.

Every new RC9gn chapter emitted is a new inspiration for this fanfic. In the next chapter you will see another one.

Nakokun


	12. Their language

Viceroy´s orders were to keep itself far from him and the Sorcerer, now with a new body.

The Ghost-Ninja, used to follow specific orders, decided to satisfy his curiosity a little, and he went to the officce. Nobody should see him unless it was a direct order, so he activated his camouflage, asking himself who will be in the Sorcerer´s prision now. Besides McFist, of course.

.-.

-AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!

With the dragon´s fangs less than fifty centimetres of his face, McFist could not help but to scream in horror. This giant thing had leapt towards him the second he put a foot in there, and the only thing he was able to do was to run towards a cave, or at least that´s what he thought, in the column´s base. The entrance didn´t let the dragon´s head to get inside, but its snout was a different story, and every bite was a little closer than the last one.

-GO AWAY, MONSTER, GO AWAY!

The snout dissapeared, just to be replaced with a claw. It pulled of the chian tied to the shackle in his right wrist, and McFist could not put up resistance. The beast took him with both hands, with arms too short for its body length, and looked at him behind his long snout.

McFist was paralized.

The dragon breathe down his face, and the multimillonarie began to tremble, feeling his heart was about to explode in terror. The same heart full of worry for...

-Please, do not eat Marci!- he cried out, desperated.

The dragon stopped.

It put its snout away and put one of its eyes closer to the shaking green figure in its hands, looking him up and down. McFist remembered the times he has been near a stanked person before, in his high school years, and he told himself he had never seen something like this. Whoever it was, this person was special.

When the giant head retired, he could see the dragon (he had find a name for it) had a very familiar palette, and in some places, its scales formed a familiar symbol. A very well-know one.

-Are you... the Ninja?

The dragon looked at him, with its snout between them, and nodded.

.-.

Someting was telling him it will be a very good idea to spy what was going on in the basement.

After all, he had been a key elemento in freeing the Sorcerer, and he wanted to see what had happened there. His Lord seemed not interested in going back, and he wanted to see why. Even if it broke some concepts in his head, now it seemed to him, in a way, logic to try it.

So here he was, in Mcfist office, pushing the button to connect the Sorcerer´s prision with the desk screen. He wanted to know what caused the eratqukes and roars and hour ago. And after dealing with some controls, he could see an image, and hear a strange conversation.

-He has my body- McFist said, between the giant asiatic dragon´s claws.

The dragon said something the other seemed not to understand.

The Ghost-Ninja opened his eyes, shocked. Not just because he recognized inmediatly the symbols in the being scales, and in the suit´s reamains in its body, but because he now could...

"Hey, Ninja" he said at the microphone.

The two figures at the other side of the screen looked at every place, surprised.

"Can you understand me now?" asked the Ghost-Ninja.

And the dragon answered him.

.-.

The gasps made sense now.

Randy didn´t think in the posibility, and felt a common sense wave washing over him. The green color, the strange skills, the rhythmical gasps similar to the stanked person´s growls... Like him, in that moment. They talked the same languaje now.

"Who are you?" asked Randy, not letting McFist go.

"Your greatest fan" for first time in a long time, he felt his own smile behind the mask, instead of smiling _with_ the mask "You are so Bruce, even stanked"

"What´s your name?"

"I will tell you mine if you tell me yours"

"Do you remember it?"

The Ghost-Ninja though about it for a few seconds. And then he keep thinking, until he discovered the reality.

"I don´t remember my name" he paused "But I remember the las time I did, I was very happy to use this mask"

Forgotten emotions. He though like a molecules composed being, insted of somethig who could be pierced for the wind and feel just a gentle breeze.

"How did you ended like that?" the Ghost-Ninja asked.

"I was stanked, and the Sorcerer chained me here"

"In the basement?" the dragon nodded "But they are going to demolish it an seal the zone tomorrow!"

Randy felt the news weight in him, but he did not shiver. Neiter feared. In a certain way, he was expecting something like this and the reality´s preassure almost finished to crush the panic.

"Can you help me to get out of here?" the Ghost-Ninja hesitated "I know it´s something big, and that´s why I´m asking it to you. In this moment, you are the only one who can save me, me and millions of pepole, from a horrible destiny. If you really know as much of me as you say, you may know being an hero is not an easy task"

The words seemed to arrive to his forgotten brain, almost used to act like a shadown at the Sorcerer´s service. And why did he obey, if he never signed an obdecience contract? The only thing he had signed was the confienciality contract, and at the bottom he had signed with... his name...

And he remembered his name.

He turned off the screen and the microphone, left everything like before he arrived, and ran to the shadowns, towards the basement.

.-.

Randy began to reason.

The time between the moment he saw Tengu-Howard captured, and the time he used to arrive were not enough to... left the body in such state. That means the existence of the posibility of them being still alive. And not just because he could not use his art of healing: he had confirmed he could bring a _skeleton_ back to life, and for shure he could do the same with a body, dead for way less time, and with more parts avariable. The times didn´t match. His actions were numbed with panic. He had forgot the logic and the panic guided him.

He must remain calm.

He put the terrified McFist above the column´s remains, ans observed the chains diving in the green stank whirlpool. He looked for the point where the chain were anchored, and saw a very well know seal. Everyting seemed to make sense now.

.-.

-With the actual forces distribution, we could took the city in less than two hours, sir- Viceroy said to the Sorcerer -If you wish to do it by force, of course: all the city considers the pershon whose body you are possesing like an idol.

-Hmmm- the Sorcerer rubbed his chin, and surprised himself a little when he touched his moustache -It will be interesting watch their faces when a lovely gift becames a shackle to enslave them.

-It´s very possible with the actuals elements, if they were a little modified- the strange feeling was very similar to the uninterrupted inspiration´s nigths, when the ideas seemed to flow like water. It was´t dizziness: it was the lightness of knowing which lines to follow, very clear destiny lines.

The Sorcerer smiled.

Viceroy noted, almost happy, the body in front of him was Hannibal McFist´s, but his moves and expressione were like the Sorcerer´s. Like the same actor performing two different characters. And this one could reach his top potential.

-Which megaevent is programmed next?- asked, looking the scientist and smiling.

-In two days, sir- he smiled from ear to ear -And we invited the national authoritys from the most important fields of the country.

-We have to gave them a show they will never forget.

-I will take care of it, sir.

-Meanwhile, our two guests should receive the _adequate_ treatment- he smiled, his words dripping evil.

-Do you want me to reinforce the security in their prision?

-Oh, he being my prisoner will be a delight... This body is way more whole, and possesing him in a human form, or a stanked one, will be a huge _pleasure_- he paused, with his hands in his desk -But all these centuries in prision teached me to not let loose ends, and not understimate my enemies. I can rape his corpose.

He took a sheet and a pen, a little confused but knowing its uses, and began to write a list.

-This is a recipe to kill with pain. When they drank it, the death will paralize their bodies and kill their insides, until the last bit of life in them dissapear. To be sure, let´s wait twenty four hours before trying to bring the bodies back.

-Do you want to inyect it?- asked Viceroy, feeling the evil flow again.

-Oh, no- the Sorcerer smiled, moving his blonde moustache -I do not want a single one of my servants to contact them again. We will flood the cave. Inmediatly.

.-.

.-.

The clock is ticking.

Nakokun


End file.
